lue

/ljuː/

//ljuː// verb

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

"lue" is a 3-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lue” is uncommon English (frequency #57,529 among 16,425 “L” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#57,529
frequency rank, English
16,425
“L” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To sift using a sieve, particularly in mining tin or silver.

Key facts for lue
PropertyValue
Headwordlue
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ljuː/
Letters3
Frequency rank#57,529
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lue” 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). lue lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

lue is uncommon English at frequency #57,529 among 16,425 “L” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ljuː/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "To sift using a sieve, particularly in mining tin or silver.".

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for lue, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Clipping of dillue (“sift with a sieve”), from Cornish dyllo (“sift with a sieve”). The correct English form is lue, spelled L-U-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To sift using a sieve, particularly in mining tin or silver.

Etymology

Clipping of dillue (“sift with a sieve”), from Cornish dyllo (“sift with a sieve”).

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 "lue"?
"lue" is spelled L-U-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ljuː/.
What does "lue" mean?
As a verb, "lue" means: To sift using a sieve, particularly in mining tin or silver.
How do you pronounce "lue"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lue" is /ljuː/. 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 "lue"?
Clipping of dillue (“sift with a sieve”), from Cornish dyllo (“sift with a sieve”). 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 “lue”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is L-U-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ljuː/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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