lion

/ˈlaɪən/

//ˈlaɪən// noun

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

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

The verdict

“lion” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,686 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#4,686
frequency rank, English
4
letters
3
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A big cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly much of Europe.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

lion vs lo
50% similar
lion vs LN
0% similar
lion vs lot
50% similar

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

Key facts for lion
PropertyValue
Headwordlion
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈlaɪən/
Letters4
Frequency rank#4,686
Misspellings tracked3
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lion” 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). lion 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 lion is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈlaɪən/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,686 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 3 likely wrong-spelling variants for lion, with forms such as "ilon", "lionn", and "llion". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "lo", "LN", "lot", 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 Middle English lyoun, lion, leon, borrowed from Old French lion, from Latin leō, (accusative: leōnem), from Ancient Greek λέων (léōn), of unclear origin. Doublet of Leo, leu, lev, and Lyon. Displaced Old English lēo, from the same Latin source. The correct English form is lion, spelled L-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A big cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly much of Europe.
  2. 2
    A big cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly much of Europe.
  3. 3
    Any of various extant and extinct big cats, especially the mountain lion.
  4. 4
    A Chinese foo dog.
  5. 5
    A person who shows attributes associated with the lion, such as strength, courage, or ferocity.
  6. 6
    A famous person regarded with interest and curiosity.
  7. 7
    A light brown color that resembles the fur of a lion.
  8. 8
    An old Scottish coin, with a lion on the obverse, worth 74 shillings.

Etymology

From Middle English lyoun, lion, leon, borrowed from Old French lion, from Latin leō, (accusative: leōnem), from Ancient Greek λέων (léōn), of unclear origin. Doublet of Leo, leu, lev, and Lyon. Displaced Old English lēo, from the same Latin source.

This word in other languages

león(Español)lion(Français)Löwe(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ilon,lionn,llion

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of lion - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ilon2lionn1llion1
Edit distance from "lion"

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 "lion"?
"lion" is spelled L-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlaɪən/.
What does "lion" mean?
As a noun, "lion" means: A big cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly much of Europe.
What words are commonly confused with "lion"?
"lion" is commonly confused with "lo", "LN", "lot". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "lion"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lion" is /ˈlaɪən/. 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 "lion"?
From Middle English lyoun, lion, leon, borrowed from Old French lion, from Latin leō, (accusative: leōnem), from Ancient Greek λέων (léōn), of unclear origin. Doublet of Leo, leu, lev, and Lyon. Displaced Old English lēo, from the same Latin source. 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 “lion”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is L-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈlaɪən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “lo” - see the side-by-side comparison. lion vs lo
  • 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