# leeway

> English word · Noun · IPA [ˈliːˌweɪ] · frequency rank #29,717

## Definitions
1. The drift of a ship or aeroplane in a leeward direction.
2. A varying degree or amount of freedom or flexibility.
3. An adverse discrepancy or variation in a cumulative process, usually in the phrase make up leeway.

## Etymology
From lee (“side away from the wind”) + way.

## Easily confused with
- **Leela** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leela-vs-leeway)
- **leery** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leery-vs-leeway)
- **leeward** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leeward-vs-leeway)

## Common misspellings (8)
`eleway`, `leeawy`, `leewayy`, `leewway`, `leewya`, `leway`, `leweay`, `lleeway`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/leeway