# paw

> English word · Noun · IPA /pɔː/ · frequency rank #15,469

## Definitions
1. The soft foot of a mammal or other animal, generally a quadruped, that has claws or nails; comparable to a human hand or foot.
2. A hand.

## Etymology
From Middle English pawe, from Old French poue, poe, from Frankish *pōta, from Frankish *pōtōn (“to put, stick, plant”), from Proto-Germanic *putōną, whence also Old English potian (“to push”), pȳtan (“to put out, poke out”). See more at put. Doublet of pote, put, and putt.
Cognate with Dutch poot, poten (“to plant”), Low German Pote, German Pfote, Icelandic pota (“to stick”).

## Easily confused with
- **PM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-pm)
- **PC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-pc)
- **PP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-pp)
- **PR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-pr)
- **pt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-pt)
- **PS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-ps)
- **po** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-po)
- **pi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-pi)
- **PG** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-pg)
- **PL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-pl)
- **PE** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-pe)
- **PD** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-pd)
- **PB** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-pb)
- **PF** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-pf)
- **PU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-pu)
- **PK** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-pk)
- **PV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-pv)
- **PJ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-pj)
- **PW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-pw)
- **PX** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paw-vs-px)

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