# rail

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɹeɪ(ə)l/ · frequency rank #3,579

## Definitions
1. A horizontal bar extending between supports and used for support or as a barrier; a railing.
2. The metal bar forming part of the track for a railroad.
3. A railroad; a railway, as a means of transportation.
4. A conductor maintained at a fixed electrical potential relative to ground, to which other circuit components are connected.
5. A horizontal piece of wood that serves to separate sections of a door or window.
6. One of the lengthwise edges of a surfboard.
7. A vertical section on one side of a web page.
8. A large line (portion or serving of a powdery illegal drug).
9. Each of two vertical side bars supporting the rungs of a ladder.
10. The raised edge of the game board.

## Etymology
From Middle English rail, rayl, *reȝel, *reȝol (found in reȝolsticke (“a ruler”)), partly from Old English regol (“a ruler, straight bar”) and partly from Old French reille; both from Latin regula (“rule, bar”), from regō (“to rule, to guide, to govern”); see regular. Doublet of regal, regula, rigol, and rule.

## Easily confused with
- **RI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-ri)
- **RL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-rl)
- **ran** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-ran)
- **ray** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-ray)
- **raw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-raw)
- **rid** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-rid)
- **Rio** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-rio)
- **rip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-rip)
- **RAM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-ram)
- **rat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-rat)
- **rap** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-rap)
- **rig** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-rig)
- **rim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-rim)
- **rib** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-rib)
- **raj** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-raj)
- **RBI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-rbi)
- **Roi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-roi)
- **Rao** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-rao)
- **ras** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-ras)
- **rin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rail-vs-rin)

## Common misspellings (5)
`aril`, `raill`, `rali`, `rial`, `rrail`

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