lump

/lʌmp/

//lʌmp// noun

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

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

The verdict

“lump” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #11,065 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#11,065
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Something that protrudes, sticks out, or sticks together; a cluster or blob; a mound or mass of no particular shape.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

lump vs lux
50% similar
lump vs luv
50% similar
lump vs luz
50% similar

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

Key facts for lump
PropertyValue
Headwordlump
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/lʌmp/
Letters4
Frequency rank#11,065
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lump” 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). lump 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 lump is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /lʌmp/. Corpus data places it at rank #11,065 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 11 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for lump, with forms such as "llump", "lmup", and "lummp". 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, "lux", "luv", "luz", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English lumpe, from a Germanic base akin to Proto-Germanic *limpaną (“to glide, go, hang loosely”). Compare Dutch lomp (“rag”), German Low German Lump (“rag”), German Lumpen (“rag”) and Lump (“ragamuffin”). The correct English form is lump, spelled L-U-M-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    Something that protrudes, sticks out, or sticks together; a cluster or blob; a mound or mass of no particular shape.
  2. 2
    A swelling or nodule of tissue under the skin or in an internal part of the body.
  3. 3
    A group, set, or unit.
  4. 4
    A small, shaped mass of sugar, typically about a teaspoonful.
  5. 5
    A dull or lazy person.
  6. 6
    A fat person.
  7. 7
    A beating or verbal abuse.
  8. 8
    A projection beneath the breech end of a gun barrel.
  9. 9
    A kind of fish, the lumpsucker.
  10. 10
    Food given to a tramp to be eaten on the road.
  11. 11
    The workhouse.

Etymology

From Middle English lumpe, from a Germanic base akin to Proto-Germanic *limpaną (“to glide, go, hang loosely”). Compare Dutch lomp (“rag”), German Low German Lump (“rag”), German Lumpen (“rag”) and Lump (“ragamuffin”).

This word in other languages

bulto(Español)masse(Français)Klumpen(Deutsch)pelota(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: llump,lmup,lummp,lumpp,lupm,ulmp

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of lump - 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.

llump1lmup2lummp1lumpp1lupm2ulmp2
Edit distance from "lump"

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 "lump"?
"lump" is spelled L-U-M-P. The IPA pronunciation is /lʌmp/.
What does "lump" mean?
As a noun, "lump" means: Something that protrudes, sticks out, or sticks together; a cluster or blob; a mound or mass of no particular shape.
What words are commonly confused with "lump"?
"lump" is commonly confused with "lux", "luv", "luz". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "lump"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lump" is /lʌmp/. 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 "lump"?
From Middle English lumpe, from a Germanic base akin to Proto-Germanic *limpaną (“to glide, go, hang loosely”). Compare Dutch lomp (“rag”), German Low German Lump (“rag”), German Lumpen (“rag”) and Lump (“ragamuffin”). 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 “lump”

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

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