lower case
/ˈləʊ.ə(ɹ)ˌkeɪs/
"lower-case" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“lower case” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 10
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The minuscule or small letters (a, b, c, as opposed to the uppercase or capital letters, A, B, C).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | lower case |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈləʊ.ə(ɹ)ˌkeɪs/ |
| Letters | 10 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “lower case” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
lower case is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈləʊ.ə(ɹ)ˌkeɪs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "The minuscule or small letters (a, b, c, as opposed to the uppercase or capital letters, A, B, C).".
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for lower case, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: Named for the original arrangement in typesetting, where the drawer or case containing minuscule letters would traditionally be located below the one containing capital letters. The correct English form is lower case, spelled L-O-W-E-R- -C-A-S-E.
Definition
- 1The minuscule or small letters (a, b, c, as opposed to the uppercase or capital letters, A, B, C).
Etymology
Named for the original arrangement in typesetting, where the drawer or case containing minuscule letters would traditionally be located below the one containing capital letters.
Synonyms
Antonyms
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “lower case”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is L-O-W-E-R- -C-A-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈləʊ.ə(ɹ)ˌkeɪs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- 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.