lich

/lɪtʃ/

//lɪtʃ// noun

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

"lich" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lich” is uncommon English (frequency #52,459 among 2,297 “L” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#52,459
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A reanimated corpse or undead being; particularly an intelligent, undead spellcaster.

Corpus desk

Index EN-lich · lich · English

lich · rank #52,459 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #52,459
  • LEN-MID 4 letters
  • VOW-1 1 vowel
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH ligation

Nearest frequency peer: ligation (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “lich”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “lich” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for lich
PropertyValue
Headwordlich
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/lɪtʃ/
Letters4
Frequency rank#52,459
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “lich” in English

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).lichfalls in this rarity band:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “ligation” (#52,460), “libertine” (#52,457), “Liaoning” (#52,456). Among 2,297 “L” headwords, “lich” is #52,459. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

lich is uncommon English at frequency #52,459 among 2,297 “L” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /lɪtʃ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for lich, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *leyg- Proto-Germanic *līką Proto-West Germanic *līk Old English līċ Middle English lich English lich Inherited from Middle English lich, from Old English līċ, from Proto-West Germanic *līk, from Proto-Germanic *līką, from… The correct English form is lich, spelled L-I-C-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    A reanimated corpse or undead being; particularly an intelligent, undead spellcaster.
  2. 2
    A corpse or dead body.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how lich appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. It was a lich’s face – desiccated flesh tight over its skull.
  2. […] and that, as the chronicle states, a lich-way would be made through then, assembled his servants, and attempted to stop its progress as it was carried over a bridge. A scuffle ensued, and the body was thrown into the water. The lich-way as not made ; but the Bishop of Exeter amply revenged himself for the proceedings.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *leyg- Proto-Germanic *līką Proto-West Germanic *līk Old English līċ Middle English lich English lich Inherited from Middle English lich, from Old English līċ, from Proto-West Germanic *līk, from Proto-Germanic *līką, from Proto-Indo-European *leyg-.

This word in other languages

liche(Español)liche(Français)Lich(Deutsch)

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 "lich"?
"lich" is spelled L-I-C-H. The IPA pronunciation is /lɪtʃ/.
What does "lich" mean?
As a noun, "lich" means: A reanimated corpse or undead being; particularly an intelligent, undead spellcaster.
How do you pronounce "lich"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lich" is /lɪtʃ/. 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 "lich"?
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *leyg- Proto-Germanic *līką Proto-West Germanic *līk Old English līċ Middle English lich English lich Inherited from Middle English lich, from Old English līċ, from Proto-West Germanic *līk, from Proto-Germanic *... 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "lich", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 4 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

leng#52,452loli#52,467lech#52,450lune#52,471

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list