loch

/lɔx/

//lɔx// noun

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

The verdict

“loch” has 6 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #16,064. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#16,064
frequency rank, English
16,425
“L” headwords
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A lake.

Corpus desk

Index EN-loch · loch · English

loch · rank #16,064 · 6 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #16,064
  • LEN-MID 4 letters
  • VOW-1 1 vowel
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 6 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 16,425
  • PHOTO-FINISH liquidity

Nearest frequency peer: liquidity (-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.

Frequency neighbourhood for “loch”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “loch” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of May 6, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

loch vs lot
50% similar
loch vs low
50% similar
loch vs lol
50% similar

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

Key facts for loch
PropertyValue
Headwordloch
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/lɔx/
Letters4
Frequency rank#16,064
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “loch” 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). loch lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 6 spelling variants around loch (IPA /lɔx/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #16,064 among 16,425 “L” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for loch, with forms such as "lcoh", "lloch", and "locch". 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, "lot", "low", "lol", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English lough, borrowed from Scottish Gaelic loch. Doublet of lay, Looe, and lough. The correct English form is loch, spelled L-O-C-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    A lake.
  2. 2
    A bay or arm of the sea.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The greater part of Leuchars Loch belonged to the Inneses of Leuchars, Cotts to the Inneses of Innes; and while thus poſſeſſed, many unſucceſsful attempts to drain both, by canals, to the river Loſſie, ſeem to have been made. […] [A] very ordinary fall of rain raiſes it [the river] far beyond its natural bounds; and the immediate conſequence of ſuch flood…
  2. But, enchanting as are the woodland banks of the quiet stream, there is to me a higher and yet more powerful charm in the solitary wildness or savage grandeur of the Highland loch.

Etymology

From Middle English lough, borrowed from Scottish Gaelic loch. Doublet of lay, Looe, and lough.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • lcoh
  • lloch
  • locch
  • lochh
  • lohc
  • olch

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

lcoh2lloch1locch1lochh1lohc2olch2
Edit distance from "loch"

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.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 6, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "loch"?
"loch" is spelled L-O-C-H. The IPA pronunciation is /lɔx/.
What does "loch" mean?
As a noun, "loch" means: A lake.
What words are commonly confused with "loch"?
"loch" is commonly confused with "lot", "low", "lol". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "loch"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "loch" is /lɔx/. 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 "loch"?
From Middle English lough, borrowed from Scottish Gaelic loch. Doublet of lay, Looe, and lough. 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 "loch", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (6 here; floor ≥5).

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