locate

/lə(ʊ)ˈkeɪt/

//lə(ʊ)ˈkeɪt// verb

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

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

The verdict

“locate” has 8 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #7,809. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#7,809
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords
8
tracked misspellings
11
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To place; to set in a particular spot or position.

Corpus desk

Index EN-locate · locate · English

locate · rank #7,809 · 8 variants · 11 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #7,809
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 11 pairs
  • VAR-MID 8 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH leap

Nearest frequency peer: leap (-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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “locate”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “locate” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

locate vs Locke
50% similar
locate vs lotte
67% similar
locate vs Lovato
50% similar

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

Key facts for locate
PropertyValue
Headwordlocate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/lə(ʊ)ˈkeɪt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#7,809
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs11
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “locate”

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).locatelands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “leap” (#7,808), “locks” (#7,810), “lance” (#7,807). Among 2,297 “L” headwords, “locate” is #7,809. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 8 spelling variants around locate (IPA /lə(ʊ)ˈkeɪt/), averb. Corpus frequency is #7,809 among 2,297 “L” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for locate, with forms such as "lcoate", "llocate", and "loacte". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 11 confusable-pair relationships, "Locke", "lotte", "Lovato", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin locātus, perfect passive participle of locō (“to place”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from locus (“place”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix). Cognate with French louer; see also local and lieu. The correct English form is locate, spelled L-O-C-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To place; to set in a particular spot or position.
  2. 2
    To find out where something is located.
  3. 3
    To designate the site or place of; to define the limits of (Note: the designation may be purely descriptive: it need not be prescriptive.)
  4. 4
    To place oneself; to take up one's residence; to settle.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The captives and emigrants whom he brought with him were located in the trans-Tiberine quarter.
  2. The ability to shift profits to low-tax countries by locating intellectual property in them, which is then licensed to related businesses in high-tax countries, is often assumed to be the preserve of high-tech companies.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin locātus, perfect passive participle of locō (“to place”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from locus (“place”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix). Cognate with French louer; see also local and lieu.

This word in other languages

ubicar(Español)localiser(Français)orten(Deutsch)localizar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • lcoate
  • llocate
  • loacte
  • locaet
  • locatte
  • loccate
  • loctae
  • olcate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

lcoate2llocate1loacte2locaet2locatte1loccate1loctae2olcate2
Edit distance from "locate"

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 "locate"?
"locate" is spelled L-O-C-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /lə(ʊ)ˈkeɪt/.
What does "locate" mean?
As a verb, "locate" means: To place; to set in a particular spot or position.
What words are commonly confused with "locate"?
"locate" is commonly confused with "Locke", "lotte", "Lovato". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "locate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "locate" is /lə(ʊ)ˈkeɪt/. 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 "locate"?
Borrowed from Latin locātus, perfect passive participle of locō (“to place”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from locus (“place”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix). Cognate with French louer; see also local and lieu. 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 "locate", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

masses#7,814motive#7,817newton#7,822oppose#7,823

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (8 here; floor ≥5).

locks8 variantslance8 variantsgrind8 variantsfeared8 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list