# pedal

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpɛdəl/ · frequency rank #12,294

## Definitions
1. A lever operated by one's foot that is used to control or power a machine or mechanism, such as a bicycle or piano.
2. an orthopedic structure or a footlike part.
3. An effects unit, especially one designed to be activated by being stepped on.
4. A stirrup.
5. The ranks of pipes played from the pedal-board of an organ.

## Etymology
Borrowed from French pédale, Latin pedāl(is). By surface analysis, ped- + -al.

## Easily confused with
- **peel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pedal-vs-peel)
- **pell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pedal-vs-pell)
- **Perl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pedal-vs-perl)
- **pena** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pedal-vs-pena)
- **pedo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pedal-vs-pedo)
- **Pedro** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pedal-vs-pedro)
- **penal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pedal-vs-penal)
- **peril** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pedal-vs-peril)
- **petal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pedal-vs-petal)
- **pedals** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pedal-vs-pedals)
- **peddle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pedal-vs-peddle)
- **PAL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pal-vs-pedal)
- **pea** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pea-vs-pedal)
- **PDA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pda-vs-pedal)
- **ped** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ped-vs-pedal)
- **peak** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/peak-vs-pedal)
- **peas** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/peas-vs-pedal)
- **pear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pear-vs-pedal)
- **peat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/peat-vs-pedal)
- **pearl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pearl-vs-pedal)

## Common misspellings (7)
`epdal`, `pdeal`, `peadl`, `pedall`, `peddal`, `pedla`, `ppedal`

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