lively

/ˈlaɪv.li/

//ˈlaɪv.li// adj

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

"lively" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lively” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,815 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#8,815
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
18
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Full of life; energetic, vivacious.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

lively vs Livy
50% similar
lively vs lives
67% similar
lively vs liver
67% similar

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

Key facts for lively
PropertyValue
Headwordlively
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈlaɪv.li/
Letters6
Frequency rank#8,815
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs18
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lively” 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). lively 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 lively is 6 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈlaɪv.li/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,815 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for lively, with forms such as "ilvely", "lievly", and "livelly". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 18 confusable-pair relationships, "Livy", "lives", "liver", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English lyvely, lifly, from Old English līflīċ (“living, lively, long-lived, necessary to life, vital”), from Proto-West Germanic *lībalīk (“living, lively”), equivalent to life + -ly. Cognate with Scots lively, lifely (“of or pertaining to life… The correct English form is lively, spelled L-I-V-E-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Full of life; energetic, vivacious.
  2. 2
    Bright, glowing, vivid; strong, vigorous.
  3. 3
    Endowed with or manifesting life; living.
  4. 4
    Representing life; lifelike.
  5. 5
    Airy; animated; spirited.
  6. 6
    Fizzy; foamy; tending to produce a large head in the glass.

Etymology

From Middle English lyvely, lifly, from Old English līflīċ (“living, lively, long-lived, necessary to life, vital”), from Proto-West Germanic *lībalīk (“living, lively”), equivalent to life + -ly. Cognate with Scots lively, lifely (“of or pertaining to life, vital, living, life-like”), Old High German līblīh (“living, animated”), German leiblich (“bodily, corporeal”). Doublet of lifely and lifelike.

Synonyms

high-spiritedfriskypeppyzestfulactiveintenseextantlivevitalalivelifeylimnednaturalisticfrothyspumescent

This word in other languages

animado(Español)animé(Français)lebhaft(Deutsch)efervescente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ilvely,lievly,livelly,livelyy,liveyl,livley,livvely,llively,lviely

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of lively - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ilvely2lievly2livelly1livelyy1liveyl2livley2livvely1llively1
Edit distance from "lively"

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 "lively"?
"lively" is spelled L-I-V-E-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlaɪv.li/.
What does "lively" mean?
As an adjective, "lively" means: Full of life; energetic, vivacious.
What words are commonly confused with "lively"?
"lively" is commonly confused with "Livy", "lives", "liver". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "lively"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lively" is /ˈlaɪv.li/. 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 "lively"?
From Middle English lyvely, lifly, from Old English līflīċ (“living, lively, long-lived, necessary to life, vital”), from Proto-West Germanic *lībalīk (“living, lively”), equivalent to life + -ly. Cognate with Scots lively, lifely (“of or pertaini... 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 “lively”

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

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