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PlainSpell

leer

UK /ˈlɪə̯/verb, noun

leer is spelled L-E-E-R: 4 letters and one syllable. It appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 47,633rd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). People search “lear vs leer” about 40 times a month (Google, United States). As a verb, leer means “To look sideways or obliquely; now especially with sexual desire or malicious intent” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).

How many letters and syllables are in leer?

Letters4: L-E-E-R
Syllables1
In writingabout once in every 3 million words; the 47,633rd most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search
Pairs people search
Rhymes with
Same letters

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); Bing searches in the United States: the average month from September 2025 to August 2026 (Microsoft Advertising keyword data through DataForSEO, read September 30, 2026); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.

How common is leer?

Leer appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 47,633rd most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce leer?

  • UK /ˈlɪə̯/
  • UK [ˈlɪə̯]
  • /ˈlɪː/

Leer has one syllable.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-uk-leer.ogg, En-us-leer.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Words people confuse with leer

Word pairs people search, with the monthly searches for “a vs b” (G: Google, B: Bing, United States).

lear vs leer40 G

Sources: Google and Bing searches (September 2025 to August 2026, through DataForSEO); English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).

What rhymes with leer?

The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as leer from its last stressed vowel (/ɪə/, British pronunciation):

Spelled with the same letters in another order: reel.

Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).

Forms of leer

  • leers present, singular, he/she/it, plural
  • leering participle, present
  • leered participle, past, singular, he/she/it, plural
  • lyre
  • lire
  • lere
  • more leer comparative
  • most leer superlative
  • lear

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does leer mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

verb

  1. 1

    To look sideways or obliquely; now especially with sexual desire or malicious intent.

  2. 2

    To entice with a leer or leers.

  3. 3

    obsoleteTo teach.

  4. 4

    obsoleteTo learn.

noun

  1. 1

    A significant side glance; a glance expressive of some passion, as malignity, amorousness, etc.; a sly or lecherous look.

  2. 2

    An arch or affected glance or cast of countenance.

  3. 3

    obsoleteThe cheek.

  4. 4

    obsoleteThe face.

  5. 5

    obsoleteOne's appearance; countenance.

  6. 6

    obsoleteComplexion; hue; colour.

  7. 7

    obsoleteFlesh; skin.

  8. 8

    UKThe flank or loin.

  9. 9

    Alternative form of lehr.

adjective

  1. 1

    obsoleteEmpty; unoccupied; clear.

  2. 2

    obsoleteDestitute; lacking; wanting.

  3. 3

    obsoleteFaint from lack of food; hungry.

  4. 4

    UKobsoleteThin; faint.

  5. 5

    obsoleteHaving no load or burden; free; without a rider.

  6. 6

    obsoleteLacking sense or seriousness; trifling; frivolous.

    leer words

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Leer in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Frenchlorgner, zieuter, mater (to look with sexual desire or malicious intent)
Germananzüglich blicken, schielen (to look with sexual desire or malicious intent), lüsterner Blick, anzügliches Grinsen (a sly or lecherous look)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does leer come from?

Exact development uncertain, but apparently from a verb *leer (“to make a face, look sideways”), from leer (“cheek, face, profile”).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What to look up after leer