motor

/ˈməʊtə/

//ˈməʊtə// noun

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

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

The verdict

“motor” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,844 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,844
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A machine or device that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy, or imparts motion.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

motor vs mott
60% similar
motor vs motto
60% similar
motor vs mover
60% similar

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

Key facts for motor
PropertyValue
Headwordmotor
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈməʊtə/
Letters5
Frequency rank#2,844
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “motor” 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). motor 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 motor is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈməʊtə/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,844 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for motor, with forms such as "mmotor", "mootr", and "motorr". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "mott", "motto", "mover", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English motour (“controller, prime mover; God”), from Latin mōtor (“mover; that which moves something”), from mōtō (“to set in motion”). The correct English form is motor, spelled M-O-T-O-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A machine or device that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy, or imparts motion.
  2. 2
    A motor car, or automobile, sometimes extended to other powered vehicles, such as goods vehicles.
  3. 3
    A source of power for something; an inspiration; a driving force.
  4. 4
    Any protein capable of converting chemical energy into mechanical work.
  5. 5
    The controller or prime mover of the universe; God.
  6. 6
    The fermenting mass of fruit that is the basis of pruno, or "prison wine".

Etymology

From Middle English motour (“controller, prime mover; God”), from Latin mōtor (“mover; that which moves something”), from mōtō (“to set in motion”).

Synonyms

engine

This word in other languages

motor(Español)moteur(Français)Motor(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: mmotor,mootr,motorr,motro,mottor,mtoor,omtor

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of motor - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

mmotor1mootr2motorr1motro2mottor1mtoor2omtor2
Edit distance from "motor"

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 "motor"?
"motor" is spelled M-O-T-O-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈməʊtə/.
What does "motor" mean?
As a noun, "motor" means: A machine or device that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy, or imparts motion.
What words are commonly confused with "motor"?
"motor" is commonly confused with "mott", "motto", "mover". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "motor"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "motor" is /ˈməʊtə/. 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 "motor"?
From Middle English motour (“controller, prime mover; God”), from Latin mōtor (“mover; that which moves something”), from mōtō (“to set in motion”). 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 “motor”

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

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