lithe

/laɪð/

//laɪð// adj

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

"lithe" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lithe” is an uncommon English word, ranked #54,311 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#54,311
frequency rank, English
5
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Mild; calm.

Key facts for lithe
PropertyValue
Headwordlithe
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/laɪð/
Letters5
Frequency rank#54,311
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lithe” 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). lithe 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 lithe is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /laɪð/. Corpus data places it at rank #54,311 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for lithe in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English lithe, from Old English līþe (“gentle, mild”), from Proto-West Germanic *linþ(ī), from Proto-Germanic *linþaz, from Proto-Indo-European *lentos. Akin to Saterland Frisian lied (“thin, skinny, gaunt”), Danish, Dutch, and archaic German li… The correct English form is lithe, spelled L-I-T-H-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Mild; calm.
  2. 2
    Slim but not skinny.
  3. 3
    Capable of being easily bent; flexible.
  4. 4
    Adaptable.

Etymology

From Middle English lithe, from Old English līþe (“gentle, mild”), from Proto-West Germanic *linþ(ī), from Proto-Germanic *linþaz, from Proto-Indo-European *lentos. Akin to Saterland Frisian lied (“thin, skinny, gaunt”), Danish, Dutch, and archaic German lind (“mild”). Some sources also list Latin lenis (“soft”) and/or Latin lentus (“supple”) as possible cognates.

This word in other languages

svelte(Français)ruhig(Deutsch)calmo(Português)

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 "lithe"?
"lithe" is spelled L-I-T-H-E. The IPA pronunciation is /laɪð/.
What does "lithe" mean?
As an adjective, "lithe" means: Mild; calm.
How do you pronounce "lithe"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lithe" is /laɪð/. 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 "lithe"?
From Middle English lithe, from Old English līþe (“gentle, mild”), from Proto-West Germanic *linþ(ī), from Proto-Germanic *linþaz, from Proto-Indo-European *lentos. Akin to Saterland Frisian lied (“thin, skinny, gaunt”), Danish, Dutch, and archaic... 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 “lithe”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is L-I-T-H-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /laɪð/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • 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