lorelei

/ˈlɔːɹəlaɪ/

//ˈlɔːɹəlaɪ// noun

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

"lorelei" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lorelei” is uncommon English (frequency #51,831 among 2,297 “L” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#51,831
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A siren; a temptress.

Corpus desk

Index EN-lorelei · lorelei · English

lorelei · rank #51,831 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #51,831
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH Lordy

Nearest frequency peer: Lordy (-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 “lorelei”

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

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “lorelei” 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
Key facts for lorelei
PropertyValue
Headwordlorelei
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈlɔːɹəlaɪ/
Letters7
Frequency rank#51,831
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lorelei” sits in English frequency

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).lorelei 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.

Rare enough to double-check

lorelei is uncommon English at frequency #51,831 among 2,297 “L” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈlɔːɹəlaɪ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A siren; a temptress.".

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for lorelei, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From the Lorelei rock on the Rhine, which was haunted by one of these creatures according to German legend. The correct English form is lorelei, spelled L-O-R-E-L-E-I.

Definition

  1. 1
    A siren; a temptress.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. We grew silly, tongue-tied, said foolish things we did not mean to say, shoved one another about in the boat, and finally overturned it. The loreleis laughed musical little laughs.
  2. She was like a mermaid, an isolated creature that lives in fulfillment of its own senses; she lured me on, she was the lorelei of the gleaming river of traffic with its million, brilliant eyes that intermittently flowed between us.

Etymology

From the Lorelei rock on the Rhine, which was haunted by one of these creatures according to German legend.

This word in other languages

Loreley(Deutsch)

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 "lorelei"?
"lorelei" is spelled L-O-R-E-L-E-I. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɔːɹəlaɪ/.
What does "lorelei" mean?
As a noun, "lorelei" means: A siren; a temptress.
How do you pronounce "lorelei"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lorelei" is /ˈlɔːɹəlaɪ/. 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 "lorelei"?
From the Lorelei rock on the Rhine, which was haunted by one of these creatures according to German legend. 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 "lorelei", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Lithgow#51,827McCloud#51,847Kinnear#51,804mucosal#51,858

What to do next

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

  • Usage frequency rank #51,831 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