lore

/lɔː/

//lɔː// noun

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

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

The verdict

“lore” has 5 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #13,950. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#13,950
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - All the facts and traditions about a particular subject that have been accumulated over time through education or experience.

Corpus desk

Index EN-lore · lore · English

lore · rank #13,950 · 5 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #13,950
  • LEN-MID 4 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 5 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH longevity

Nearest frequency peer: longevity (-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 “lore”

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

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “lore” 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).

lore vs LR
0% similar
lore vs lot
50% similar
lore vs low
50% similar

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

Key facts for lore
PropertyValue
Headwordlore
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/lɔː/
Letters4
Frequency rank#13,950
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lore” 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).lore lands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 5 spelling variants around lore (IPA /lɔː/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #13,950 among 2,297 “L” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for lore, with forms such as "llore", "loer", and "lorre". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "LR", "lot", "low", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English lore, from Old English lār, from Proto-West Germanic *laiʀu, from Proto-Germanic *laizō, from *laizijaną (“to teach”). Cognate with Dutch leer, German Lehre, Swedish lära and Danish lære. See also learn. The correct English form is lore, spelled L-O-R-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    All the facts and traditions about a particular subject that have been accumulated over time through education or experience.
  2. 2
    The backstory, especially for a character or setting, created around a fictional universe.
  3. 3
    The backstory, especially for a character or setting, created around a fictional universe.
  4. 4
    Workmanship.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. the recondite lore of the Ancient Egyptians
  2. He to them calles and speakes, yet nought avayles; / They heare him not, they have forgot his lore / But go which way they list; their guide they have forelore.

Etymology

From Middle English lore, from Old English lār, from Proto-West Germanic *laiʀu, from Proto-Germanic *laizō, from *laizijaną (“to teach”). Cognate with Dutch leer, German Lehre, Swedish lära and Danish lære. See also learn.

This word in other languages

sabiduría(Español)traditions(Français)Wissen(Deutsch)saber(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • llore
  • loer
  • lorre
  • lroe
  • olre

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

llore1loer2lorre1lroe2olre2
Edit distance from "lore"

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 "lore"?
"lore" is spelled L-O-R-E. The IPA pronunciation is /lɔː/.
What does "lore" mean?
As a noun, "lore" means: All the facts and traditions about a particular subject that have been accumulated over time through education or experience.
What words are commonly confused with "lore"?
"lore" is commonly confused with "LR", "lot", "low". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "lore"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lore" is /lɔː/. 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 "lore"?
From Middle English lore, from Old English lār, from Proto-West Germanic *laiʀu, from Proto-Germanic *laizō, from *laizijaną (“to teach”). Cognate with Dutch leer, German Lehre, Swedish lära and Danish lære. See also learn. 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 "lore", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

lush#13,951mash#13,954kite#13,945kara#13,941

Similar misspelling depth

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

faux5 variantsAussie5 variantsToni5 variantsCain5 variants

What to do next

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

  • "lore" maps to 20 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "LR". View pair
  • 5 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #13,950 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