peruse

/pəˈɹuːz/

//pəˈɹuːz// verb

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

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

The verdict

“peruse” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #40,385 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#40,385
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
15
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To examine or consider with care.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

peruse vs purse
67% similar
peruse vs prose
67% similar
peruse vs prune
67% similar

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

Key facts for peruse
PropertyValue
Headwordperuse
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/pəˈɹuːz/
Letters6
Frequency rank#40,385
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs15
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “peruse” 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). peruse 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 peruse is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /pəˈɹuːz/. Corpus data places it at rank #40,385 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for peruse, with forms such as "epruse", "perruse", and "persue". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 15 confusable-pair relationships, "purse", "prose", "prune", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From either Medieval Latin perūtor, perūsitō (“wear out”)) or Anglo-Norman peruser (“use up”)), originally leading to two concurrent meanings, but only those derived from "to examine" survive today. By surface analysis, per- + use. The correct English form is peruse, spelled P-E-R-U-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To examine or consider with care.
  2. 2
    To read completely.
  3. 3
    To look over casually; to skim.
  4. 4
    To go from place to place; to wander.

Etymology

From either Medieval Latin perūtor, perūsitō (“wear out”)) or Anglo-Norman peruser (“use up”)), originally leading to two concurrent meanings, but only those derived from "to examine" survive today. By surface analysis, per- + use.

This word in other languages

examinar(Español)examiner(Français)studieren(Deutsch)examinar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: epruse,perruse,persue,perues,perusse,peurse,pperuse,preuse

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of peruse - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

epruse2perruse1persue2perues2perusse1peurse2pperuse1preuse2
Edit distance from "peruse"

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 "peruse"?
"peruse" is spelled P-E-R-U-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /pəˈɹuːz/.
What does "peruse" mean?
As a verb, "peruse" means: To examine or consider with care.
What words are commonly confused with "peruse"?
"peruse" is commonly confused with "purse", "prose", "prune". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "peruse"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "peruse" is /pəˈɹuːz/. 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 "peruse"?
From either Medieval Latin perūtor, perūsitō (“wear out”)) or Anglo-Norman peruser (“use up”)), originally leading to two concurrent meanings, but only those derived from "to examine" survive today. By surface analysis, per- + use. 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 “peruse”

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

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