lock

/lɒk/

//lɒk// noun

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

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

The verdict

“lock” has 6 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #2,954. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#2,954
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Something used for fastening, which can only be opened with a key or combination.

Corpus desk

Index EN-lock · lock · English

lock · rank #2,954 · 6 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #2,954
  • LEN-MID 4 letters
  • VOW-1 1 vowel
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 6 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH loans

Nearest frequency peer: loans (-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 “lock”

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

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “lock” 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 September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

lock vs lot
50% similar
lock vs low
50% similar
lock vs lol
50% similar

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

Key facts for lock
PropertyValue
Headwordlock
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/lɒk/
Letters4
Frequency rank#2,954
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lock” 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). lock 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 lock (IPA /lɒk/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #2,954 among 2,297 “L” headwords. Wiktionary lists 12 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for lock, with forms such as "lcok", "llock", and "locck". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "lot", "low", "lol", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English lok, from Old English loc, from Proto-West Germanic *lok, from Proto-Germanic *luką from Proto-Indo-European *lewg- (“to bend; turn”). Cognate with Cimbrian loch, lòch (“hole”), Dutch lok (“hole”), German Loch (“hole”), German Low German… The correct English form is lock, spelled L-O-C-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    Something used for fastening, which can only be opened with a key or combination.
  2. 2
    A mutex or other token restricting access to a resource.
  3. 3
    A segment of a canal or other navigable waterway enclosed by gates, used for raising and lowering boats between levels.
  4. 4
    The firing mechanism.
  5. 5
    Complete control over a situation.
  6. 6
    Something sure to be a success.
  7. 7
    Synonym of Dutch book.
  8. 8
    A player in the scrum behind the front row, usually the tallest members of the team.
  9. 9
    A fastening together or interlacing; a closing of one thing upon another; a state of being fixed or immovable.
  10. 10
    A place impossible to get out of, as by a lock.
  11. 11
    A device for keeping a wheel from turning.
  12. 12
    A grapple in wrestling.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. "Give me the key," said my mother; and though the lock was very stiff, she had turned it and thrown back the lid in a twinkling.
  2. We tiptoed into the house, up the stairs and along the hall into the room where the Professor had been spending so much of his time. 'Twas locked, of course, but the Deacon man got a big bunch of keys out of his pocket and commenced to putter with the lock.

Etymology

From Middle English lok, from Old English loc, from Proto-West Germanic *lok, from Proto-Germanic *luką from Proto-Indo-European *lewg- (“to bend; turn”). Cognate with Cimbrian loch, lòch (“hole”), Dutch lok (“hole”), German Loch (“hole”), German Low German Lock (“hole”), Luxembourgish Lach (“hole”), Vilamovian łöch (“hole”), Yiddish לאָך (lokh, “hole”), Danish låg (“lid, cover”), Norwegian Bokmål lokk (“lid, cover”), Norwegian Nynorsk lok, lokk (“lid, cover”). more detail The verb is from Middle English locken, lokken, louken, from Old English lūcan, Proto-West Germanic *lūkan, from Proto-Germanic *lūkaną. Cognate with Dutch luiken (“to close, to shut”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål lukke (“to close, to shut”), Faroese lúka (“to end, to finish”), Icelandic ljúka (“to close, to shut”), Norwegian Nynorsk lukka (“to close, to shut”). Related to luxe via Latin.

This word in other languages

cerradura(Español)verrou(Français)Schloss(Deutsch)fechadura(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • lcok
  • llock
  • locck
  • lockk
  • lokc
  • olck

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

lcok2llock1locck1lockk1lokc2olck2
Edit distance from "lock"

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 September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "lock"?
"lock" is spelled L-O-C-K. The IPA pronunciation is /lɒk/.
What does "lock" mean?
As a noun, "lock" means: Something used for fastening, which can only be opened with a key or combination.
What words are commonly confused with "lock"?
"lock" 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 "lock"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lock" is /lɒk/. 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 "lock"?
From Middle English lok, from Old English loc, from Proto-West Germanic *lok, from Proto-Germanic *luką from Proto-Indo-European *lewg- (“to bend; turn”). Cognate with Cimbrian loch, lòch (“hole”), Dutch lok (“hole”), German Loch (“hole”), German ... 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 "lock", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

lets#2,952nose#2,956semi#2,965wise#2,975

Similar misspelling depth

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

quote6 variantsford6 variantsgang6 variantspink6 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "lock". Here's where to go from here.

  • "lock" maps to 20 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "lot". View pair
  • 6 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #2,954 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "L" letter cohort. L–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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