libra
/ˈliːbrə/
"libra" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“libra” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #31,636 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #31,636
- frequency rank, English
- 5
- letters
- 7
- tracked misspellings
- 20
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A Roman unit of mass, usually equivalent to 327 g.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | libra |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈliːbrə/ |
| Letters | 5 |
| Frequency rank | #31,636 |
| Misspellings tracked | 7 |
| Confusable pairs | 20 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “libra” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for libra is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈliːbrə/. Corpus data places it at rank #31,636 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for libra, with forms such as "ilbra", "lbira", and "libar". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "Lisa", "lima", "LIGA", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin lībra (“pound”), partially via Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese libra. Doublet of arratel, libbra, Libra, lira, litra, litre, livre, and rottol. The correct English form is libra, spelled L-I-B-R-A.
Definition
- 1A Roman unit of mass, usually equivalent to 327 g.
- 2A traditional Spanish unit of mass, usually around 460 g.
- 3A traditional Portuguese unit of mass, usually equivalent to 345 g and particularly used for trade in medicines.
- 4Synonym of arratel, a separate Portuguese unit of mass, usually around 460 g.
- 5Alternative spelling of libbra, a traditional Italian unit of mass.
- 6Synonym of pound, a notional pound of silver as a money of account, especially in medieval contexts.
Etymology
From Latin lībra (“pound”), partially via Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese libra. Doublet of arratel, libbra, Libra, lira, litra, litre, livre, and rottol.
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: ilbra,lbira,libar,libbra,librra,lirba,llibra
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of libra - 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.
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 "libra"?
What does "libra" mean?
What words are commonly confused with "libra"?
How do you pronounce "libra"?
What is the origin of the word "libra"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “libra”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is L-I-B-R-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈliːbrə/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “Lisa” - see the side-by-side comparison. libra vs Lisa
- 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.