level
lev·el/ˈlɛvəl/adjective, noun, verb
level is spelled L-E-V-E-L, 2 syllables: lev·el. The wrong spelling people search most is leval: about 120 Bing searches a month in the United States (September 2025 to August 2026), about 1 in 85 of all searches for the word. Level is an adjective meaning “The same height at all places; parallel to a flat ground”.
How many letters and syllables are in level?
| Letters | 5: L-E-V-E-L |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: lev·el |
| In writing | 257 times per million words; the 373rd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | 1; the most searched, leval, about 120 Bing searches a month (all of them) |
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).
How do you spell level?
Level is spelled L-E-V-E-L. One wrong spelling is searched or written often enough to measure; together they are about 1 in 85 of the searches for level in either form.
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). Wrong spellings are taken from Wiktionary entries tagged "misspelling" and its obsolete or nonstandard forms, Wikipedia's Lists of common misspellings and the codespell dictionary, then measured. The proofreader's marks show the change that corrects each one.
How common is level?
Level appears 257 times per million words in written English, the 373rd 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 level?
- /ˈlɛvəl/
- [ˈlɛvəl] ~ [ˈlɛvl̩]
Level has 2 syllables, split lev·el in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Back_ache-level.wav, En-us-level.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with level
Also written: leveling, leveller, levelling.
Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
Forms of level
- leveler comparative
- leveller comparative
- levelest superlative
- levellest superlative
- levels plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- leveling US, participle, present
- levelling UK, participle, present
- leveled US, participle, past
- levelled UK, participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does level mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
The same height at all places; parallel to a flat ground.
This table isn't quite level; see how this marble rolls off it?
- 2
At the same height as some reference; constructed as level with.
We tried to hang the pictures so that the bottom of the frames were level with the dark line in the wallpaper.
- 3
Unvaried in frequency.
His pulse has been level for 12 hours.
- 4
Unvaried in volume.
His voice has been unchanged. It has been level for 12 hours.
- 5
Calm.
He kept a level head under stress.
- 6
In the same position or rank.
- 7
Straightforward; direct; clear.
- 8
Well balanced; even; just; steady; impartial.
a level head; a level understanding
noun
- 1
A tool for finding whether a surface is level, or for creating a horizontal or vertical line of reference.
Hand me the level so I can tell if this is correctly installed.
- 2
A distance relative to a given reference elevation.
By the end of the day, we'd dug down to the level of the old basement floor.
- 3
Degree or amount.
The sound level is much too high; this hurts my ears.
- 4
Achievement or qualification.
She achieved a high level of distinction.
- 5
Distance from the root node of a tree structure.
- 6
One of several discrete segments of a game, generally increasing in difficulty and representing different locations in the game world.
It took me weeks to get to level seven. Watch out for the next level; the bad guys there are really overpowered.
- 7
A numeric value given to a character (or other element of a game) that represents its relative power, challenge or eligibility to do things, used as a game mechanic to govern progression through a game.
My half-orc barbarian reached fifth level before he was squashed by a troll.
- 8
A floor of a multi-storey building.
Take the elevator and get off at the promenade level.
verb
- 1
To adjust so as to make as flat or perpendicular to the ground as possible.
You can level the table by turning the pads that screw into the feet.
- 2
To destroy by reducing to ground level; to raze.
The hurricane leveled the forest.
- 3
To progress to the next level.
I levelled after defeating the dragon.
- 4
To aim or direct (a weapon, a stare, an accusation, etc).
He levelled an accusation of fraud at the directors. The hunter levels the gun before taking a shot.
- 5
To direct or impose (a penalty, fine, etc) at or upon (someone) [with on or against or at].
If the right of killing salmon belong exclusively to the King, and consequently to his donatories, why has not the Legislature secured the right by levelling penalties against such as should encroach upon it … ?
- 6
To make the score of a game equal.
- 7
To bring to a common level or plane, in respect of rank, condition, character, privilege, etc.
to level all the ranks and conditions of men
- 8
To adjust or adapt to a certain level.
to level remarks to the capacity of children
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate level?
Wiktionary records 4 abbreviations of level: LV, LVL, Lv, lv.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Level in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | plat , à ras, au même niveau , constant , niveau , profondeur |
| German | eben , konstant , Wasserwaage , Niveau , Grad , Level |
| Portuguese | nivelado, plano , constante , nível , fase , nivelar |
| Spanish | nivelado, al ras , nivel, niveles , nivelar |
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 level come from?
From Middle English level, from Old French livel, liveau m, later nivel, niveau, from Latin libella f (“a balance, a level”), diminutive of libra f (“a balance, a level”); see libra, librate. Doublet of libella and niveau. The verb is from Middle English levelen, from the noun.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).