loop

/luːp/

//luːp// noun

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

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

The verdict

“loop” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,393 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#4,393
frequency rank, English
4
letters
4
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A length of thread, line or rope that is doubled over to make an opening.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

loop vs LP
0% similar
loop vs lot
50% similar
loop vs low
50% similar

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

Key facts for loop
PropertyValue
Headwordloop
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/luːp/
Letters4
Frequency rank#4,393
Misspellings tracked4
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “loop” 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). loop 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 loop is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /luːp/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,393 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 20 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 4 likely wrong-spelling variants for loop, with forms such as "lloop", "loopp", and "lopo". 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, "LP", "lot", "low", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English loupe (“noose, loop”), earlier lowp-knot (“loop-knot”), of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse hlaup (“a run”), used in the sense of a "running knot", from hlaupa (“to leap”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *hlaupaną (“to leap, run”). … The correct English form is loop, spelled L-O-O-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    A length of thread, line or rope that is doubled over to make an opening.
  2. 2
    The opening so formed.
  3. 3
    A shape produced by a curve that bends around and crosses itself.
  4. 4
    A ring road or beltway.
  5. 5
    An endless strip of tape or film allowing continuous repetition.
  6. 6
    A complete circuit for an electric current.
  7. 7
    A programmed sequence of instructions that is repeated until or while a particular condition is satisfied.
  8. 8
    An edge that begins and ends on the same vertex.
  9. 9
    A path that starts and ends at the same point.
  10. 10
    A bus or rail route, walking route, etc. that starts and ends at the same point.
  11. 11
    A place at a terminus where trains or trams can turn round and go back the other way without having to reverse; a balloon loop, turning loop, or reversing loop.
  12. 12
    A passing loop.
  13. 13
    A quasigroup with an identity element.
  14. 14
    A loop-shaped intrauterine device.
  15. 15
    An aerobatic maneuver in which an aircraft flies a circular path in a vertical plane.
  16. 16
    A small, narrow opening; a loophole.
  17. 17
    Alternative form of loup (“mass of iron”).
  18. 18
    A flexible region in a protein's secondary structure.
  19. 19
    A sports league
  20. 20
    The curved path of the ball bowled by a spin bowler.

Etymology

From Middle English loupe (“noose, loop”), earlier lowp-knot (“loop-knot”), of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse hlaup (“a run”), used in the sense of a "running knot", from hlaupa (“to leap”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *hlaupaną (“to leap, run”). Compare Swedish löp-knut (“loop-knot”), Danish løb-knude (“a running knot”), Danish løb (“a course”). More at leap. The verb is derived from the noun.

This word in other languages

lazo(Español)boucle(Français)Schlaufe(Deutsch)laço(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: lloop,loopp,lopo,olop

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of loop - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

lloop1loopp1lopo2olop2
Edit distance from "loop"

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 "loop"?
"loop" is spelled L-O-O-P. The IPA pronunciation is /luːp/.
What does "loop" mean?
As a noun, "loop" means: A length of thread, line or rope that is doubled over to make an opening.
What words are commonly confused with "loop"?
"loop" is commonly confused with "LP", "lot", "low". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "loop"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "loop" is /luːp/. 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 "loop"?
From Middle English loupe (“noose, loop”), earlier lowp-knot (“loop-knot”), of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse hlaup (“a run”), used in the sense of a "running knot", from hlaupa (“to leap”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *hlaupaną (“to lea... 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 “loop”

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

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