local

/ˈləʊ.kl̩/

//ˈləʊ.kl̩// adj

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

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

The verdict

“local” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #358 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#358
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - From or in a nearby location.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

local vs lol
60% similar
local vs lock
60% similar
local vs loch
60% similar

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

Key facts for local
PropertyValue
Headwordlocal
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈləʊ.kl̩/
Letters5
Frequency rank#358
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “local” 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). local 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 local is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈləʊ.kl̩/. Corpus data places it at rank #358 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 11 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for local, with forms such as "lcoal", "llocal", and "loacl". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "lol", "lock", "loch", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English local, from Late Latin locālis (“belonging to a place”), possibly also via Old French local; ultimately from Latin locus (“a place”). The ring-theoretic senses derive from Krull, who first referred to Noetherian commutative rings with a … The correct English form is local, spelled L-O-C-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    From or in a nearby location.
  2. 2
    Connected directly to a particular computer, processor, etc.; able to be accessed offline.
  3. 3
    Having limited scope (either lexical or dynamic); only accessible within a certain portion of a program.
  4. 4
    Applying to or satisfied by substructures understood as "near points;" in particular:
  5. 5
    Applying to or satisfied by substructures understood as "near points;" in particular:
  6. 6
    Applying to or satisfied by substructures understood as "near points;" in particular:
  7. 7
    Detectable from the behavior of substructures understood to be "near points;" in particular:
  8. 8
    Detectable from the behavior of substructures understood to be "near points;" in particular:
  9. 9
    Having a unique maximal (left) ideal.
  10. 10
    Of or pertaining to a restricted part of an organism.
  11. 11
    Descended from an indigenous population.

Etymology

From Middle English local, from Late Latin locālis (“belonging to a place”), possibly also via Old French local; ultimately from Latin locus (“a place”). The ring-theoretic senses derive from Krull, who first referred to Noetherian commutative rings with a unique maximal ideal as "Stellenring" (Stellen (“place”) + ring) in 1938. The term was inspired by algebraic geometry, where local rings encode information about the behavior of curves (surfaces, etc.) at points; hence, describe "local" behavior.

This word in other languages

local(Español)local(Français)lokal(Deutsch)local(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: lcoal,llocal,loacl,locall,loccal,locla,olcal

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of local - 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.

lcoal2llocal1loacl2locall1loccal1locla2olcal2
Edit distance from "local"

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 "local"?
"local" is spelled L-O-C-A-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈləʊ.kl̩/.
What does "local" mean?
As an adjective, "local" means: From or in a nearby location.
What words are commonly confused with "local"?
"local" is commonly confused with "lol", "lock", "loch". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "local"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "local" is /ˈləʊ.kl̩/. 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 "local"?
From Middle English local, from Late Latin locālis (“belonging to a place”), possibly also via Old French local; ultimately from Latin locus (“a place”). The ring-theoretic senses derive from Krull, who first referred to Noetherian commutative rin... 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 “local”

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

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