# lute

> English word · Noun · IPA /l(j)uːt/ · frequency rank #34,168

## Definitions
1. A fretted stringed instrument, similar to the guitar, having a bowl-shaped body or soundbox; any of a wide variety of chordophones with a pear-shaped body and a neck whose upper surface is in the same plane as the soundboard, with strings along the neck and parallel to the soundboard.

## Etymology
From Middle French lut (modern luth), from Old French leüt, probably from Old Occitan laüt, from Arabic اَلْعُود (al-ʕūd, “wood”) (probably representing an Andalusian Arabic or North African pronunciation). Doublet of oud, lavta, and laouto.

## Easily confused with
- **lux** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lute-vs-lux)
- **luv** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lute-vs-luv)
- **luz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lute-vs-luz)
- **lye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lute-vs-lye)
- **Lyle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lute-vs-lyle)
- **Lyme** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lute-vs-lyme)
- **luxe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lute-vs-luxe)
- **lutz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lute-vs-lutz)
- **lyre** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lute-vs-lyre)
- **Luton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lute-vs-luton)
- **Luther** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lute-vs-luther)
- **le** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/le-vs-lute)
- **Lt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lt-vs-lute)
- **lu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lu-vs-lute)
- **lot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lot-vs-lute)
- **let** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/let-vs-lute)
- **lie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lie-vs-lute)
- **lee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lee-vs-lute)
- **lit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-lute)
- **LAT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lat-vs-lute)

## Common misspellings (5)
`llute`, `ltue`, `luet`, `lutte`, `ulte`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/lute