leisure

/ˈlɛʒə(ɹ)/

//ˈlɛʒə(ɹ)// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"leisure" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“leisure” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,056 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#8,056
frequency rank, English
7
letters
9
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Freedom provided by the cessation of activities.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

leisure vs leisurely
78% similar
leisure vs lecture
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for leisure
PropertyValue
Headwordleisure
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈlɛʒə(ɹ)/
Letters7
Frequency rank#8,056
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “leisure” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). leisure lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for leisure is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈlɛʒə(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,056 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for leisure, with forms such as "elisure", "leisrue", and "leissure". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "leisurely", "lecture", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English leyser, from Anglo-Norman leisir, variant of Old French loisir (“to enjoy oneself”) (Modern French loisir survives as a noun), substantive use of a verb, from Latin licēre (“be permitted”). Displaced native Old English ǣmetta. The correct English form is leisure, spelled L-E-I-S-U-R-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Freedom provided by the cessation of activities.
  2. 2
    Free time, time free from work or duties.
  3. 3
    Time at one's command, free from engagement; convenient opportunity; hence, convenience; ease.

Etymology

From Middle English leyser, from Anglo-Norman leisir, variant of Old French loisir (“to enjoy oneself”) (Modern French loisir survives as a noun), substantive use of a verb, from Latin licēre (“be permitted”). Displaced native Old English ǣmetta.

This word in other languages

ocio(Español)loisir(Français)Muße(Deutsch)ócio(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: elisure,leisrue,leissure,leisuer,leisurre,leiusre,lesiure,liesure,lleisure

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of leisure - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

elisure2leisrue2leissure1leisuer2leisurre1leiusre2lesiure2liesure2
Edit distance from "leisure"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "leisure"?
"leisure" is spelled L-E-I-S-U-R-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɛʒə(ɹ)/.
What does "leisure" mean?
As a noun, "leisure" means: Freedom provided by the cessation of activities.
What words are commonly confused with "leisure"?
"leisure" is commonly confused with "leisurely", "lecture". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "leisure"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "leisure" is /ˈlɛʒə(ɹ)/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "leisure"?
From Middle English leyser, from Anglo-Norman leisir, variant of Old French loisir (“to enjoy oneself”) (Modern French loisir survives as a noun), substantive use of a verb, from Latin licēre (“be permitted”). Displaced native Old English ǣmetta. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “leisure”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is L-E-I-S-U-R-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈlɛʒə(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “leisurely” - see the side-by-side comparison. leisure vs leisurely
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list