lith

/lɪθ/

//lɪθ// noun

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

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

The verdict

“lith” is uncommon English (frequency #97,245 among 2,297 “L” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#97,245
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A limb; any member of the body.

Corpus desk

Index EN-lith · lith · English

lith · rank #97,245 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #97,245
  • LEN-MID 4 letters
  • VOW-1 1 vowel
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH litten

Nearest frequency peer: litten (+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 “lith”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

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

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for lith
PropertyValue
Headwordlith
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/lɪθ/
Letters4
Frequency rank#97,245
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “lith” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).lithfalls in this rarity band:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “litten” (#97,246), “lodestone” (#97,248), “libidinous” (#97,239). Among 2,297 “L” headwords, “lith” is #97,245. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

lith is uncommon English at frequency #97,245 among 2,297 “L” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /lɪθ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for lith, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English lith, lyth, from Old English liþ (“limb, member, joint, tip of finger, point”), from Proto-Germanic *liþuz (“limb”), of unknown origin. Cognate with Scots lith (“part of the body, joint”), West Frisian lid (“part of the body, member”), D… The correct English form is lith, spelled L-I-T-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    A limb; any member of the body.
  2. 2
    A joint; a segment or symmetrical part or division.
  3. 3
    A segment of an orange, or similar fruit.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. lith and limb; out of lith
  2. he departed with the lady / & brouȝt her to Camelot / Soo as they rode in a valey it was ful of stones / and there the ladyes hors stumbled and threwe her doun that her arme was sore brysed and nere she swouned for payne / Allas syr sayd the lady myn arme is oute of lythe wher thorow I must nedes reste me

Etymology

From Middle English lith, lyth, from Old English liþ (“limb, member, joint, tip of finger, point”), from Proto-Germanic *liþuz (“limb”), of unknown origin. Cognate with Scots lith (“part of the body, joint”), West Frisian lid (“part of the body, member”), Dutch lid (“limb, member, section”), Middle High German lit (“limb, member”), Swedish led (“joint, link, channel”), Icelandic liður (“item”), Dutch lid (“part of the body; member”) and gelid (“joint, rank, file”), German Glied (“limb, member, link”).

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 "lith"?
"lith" is spelled L-I-T-H. The IPA pronunciation is /lɪθ/.
What does "lith" mean?
As a noun, "lith" means: A limb; any member of the body.
How do you pronounce "lith"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lith" is /lɪθ/. 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 "lith"?
From Middle English lith, lyth, from Old English liþ (“limb, member, joint, tip of finger, point”), from Proto-Germanic *liþuz (“limb”), of unknown origin. Cognate with Scots lith (“part of the body, joint”), West Frisian lid (“part of the body, m... 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 "lith", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

Maco#97,261kmph#97,204kena#97,192jone#97,176

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list