lymph

/lɪmf/

//lɪmf// noun

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

"lymph" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lymph” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #22,429 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#22,429
frequency rank, English
5
letters
9
tracked misspellings
9
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Pure water.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

lymph vs lynch
60% similar
lymph vs lamp
60% similar
lymph vs lump
60% similar

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

Key facts for lymph
PropertyValue
Headwordlymph
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/lɪmf/
Letters5
Frequency rank#22,429
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs9
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lymph” 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). lymph 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 lymph is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /lɪmf/. Corpus data places it at rank #22,429 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for lymph, with forms such as "llymph", "lmyph", and "lymhp". 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 9 confusable-pair relationships, "lynch", "lamp", "lump", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowing from French lymphe and/or Latin lympha (“clear water”), from Ancient Greek νῠ́μφη (nŭ́mphē, “bride; spring water”). Doublet of nymph. The correct English form is lymph, spelled L-Y-M-P-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    Pure water.
  2. 2
    Pure water.
  3. 3
    A colourless, watery, coagulable bodily fluid which bathes the tissues and is carried by the lymphatic system into the bloodstream; it resembles blood plasma in containing white blood cells and especially lymphocytes but normally few red blood cells and no platelets.
  4. 4
    A colourless, watery, coagulable bodily fluid which bathes the tissues and is carried by the lymphatic system into the bloodstream; it resembles blood plasma in containing white blood cells and especially lymphocytes but normally few red blood cells and no platelets.

Etymology

Borrowing from French lymphe and/or Latin lympha (“clear water”), from Ancient Greek νῠ́μφη (nŭ́mphē, “bride; spring water”). Doublet of nymph.

This word in other languages

linfa(Español)lymphe(Français)Lymphe(Deutsch)linfa(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: llymph,lmyph,lymhp,lymmph,lymphh,lympph,lypmh,lyymph,ylmph

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

llymph1lmyph2lymhp2lymmph1lymphh1lympph1lypmh2lyymph1
Edit distance from "lymph"

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 "lymph"?
"lymph" is spelled L-Y-M-P-H. The IPA pronunciation is /lɪmf/.
What does "lymph" mean?
As a noun, "lymph" means: Pure water.
What words are commonly confused with "lymph"?
"lymph" is commonly confused with "lynch", "lamp", "lump". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "lymph"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lymph" is /lɪmf/. 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 "lymph"?
Borrowing from French lymphe and/or Latin lympha (“clear water”), from Ancient Greek νῠ́μφη (nŭ́mphē, “bride; spring water”). Doublet of nymph. 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 “lymph”

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

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