per

/pɜː/

//pɜː// prep

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

"per" is a 3-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“per” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #339 in English word frequency and used as a preposition.

#339
frequency rank, English
3
letters
20
confusable pairs

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

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

per vs PM
0% similar
per vs PP
0% similar
per vs PR
0% similar

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

Key facts for per
PropertyValue
Headwordper
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechPreposition
IPA/pɜː/
Letters3
Frequency rank#339
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “per” 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). per 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 per is 3 letters long, classified as a preposition, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /pɜː/. Corpus data places it at rank #339 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for per, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "PM", "PP", "PR", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin per (“through, during”), from Proto-Indo-European *per. Doublet of par. The correct English form is per, spelled P-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    For each.
  2. 2
    To each, in each (used in expressing ratios of units).
  3. 3
    By the, by means of the, via the, through the.
  4. 4
    In accordance with, as per
  5. 5
    According to

Etymology

From Latin per (“through, during”), from Proto-Indo-European *per. Doublet of par.

Synonyms

pp./⅌ana

This word in other languages

por(Español)par(Français)je(Deutsch)por(Português)

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 "per"?
"per" is spelled P-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /pɜː/.
What does "per" mean?
As a preposition, "per" means: For each.
What words are commonly confused with "per"?
"per" is commonly confused with "PM", "PP", "PR". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "per"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "per" is /pɜː/. 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 "per"?
From Latin per (“through, during”), from Proto-Indo-European *per. Doublet of par. 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 “per”

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

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