maglev

/ˈmæɡ.lɛv/

//ˈmæɡ.lɛv// adj

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

"maglev" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“maglev” is uncommon English (frequency #64,513 among 36,575 “M” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#64,513
frequency rank, English
36,575
“M” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Describing a train, system, etc, that operates by magnetic levitation.

Key facts for maglev
PropertyValue
Headwordmaglev
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈmæɡ.lɛv/
Letters6
Frequency rank#64,513
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “maglev” 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). maglev 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

maglev is uncommon English at frequency #64,513 among 36,575 “M” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈmæɡ.lɛv/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Describing a train, system, etc, that operates by magnetic levitation.".

No misspelling variants are generated for maglev in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Syllabic abbreviation of magnetic levitation, equivalent to mag- + lev(itation). The correct English form is maglev, spelled M-A-G-L-E-V.

Definition

  1. 1
    Describing a train, system, etc, that operates by magnetic levitation.

Etymology

Syllabic abbreviation of magnetic levitation, equivalent to mag- + lev(itation).

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 "maglev"?
"maglev" is spelled M-A-G-L-E-V. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmæɡ.lɛv/.
What does "maglev" mean?
As an adjective, "maglev" means: Describing a train, system, etc, that operates by magnetic levitation.
How do you pronounce "maglev"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "maglev" is /ˈmæɡ.lɛv/. 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 "maglev"?
Syllabic abbreviation of magnetic levitation, equivalent to mag- + lev(itation). 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 “maglev”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is M-A-G-L-E-V - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈmæɡ.lɛv/ (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