# lien

> English word · Noun · IPA /liːn/ · frequency rank #22,422

## Definitions
1. A tendon.
2. A right to take possession of a debtor’s property as security until a debt or duty is discharged.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French lien, from Latin ligāmen (“a bond”), from ligō (“tie, bind”).

## Easily confused with
- **LN** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-ln)
- **lit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-lit)
- **lip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-lip)
- **lil** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-lil)
- **Liz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-liz)
- **lin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-lin)
- **Liu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-liu)
- **Liv** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-liv)
- **lim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-lim)
- **Lon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-lon)
- **lis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-lis)
- **lyn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-lyn)
- **lye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-lye)
- **lun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-lun)
- **LIF** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-lif)
- **like** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-like)
- **life** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-life)
- **live** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-live)
- **line** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-line)
- **list** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lien-vs-list)

## Common misspellings (3)
`ilen`, `lein`, `llien`

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