recover

/ɹɪˈkʌvə/

//ɹɪˈkʌvə// verb

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

"recover" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“recover” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,401 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#4,401
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
9
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To get back, to regain (a physical thing; in astronomy and navigation, sight of a thing or a signal).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

recover vs rover
71% similar
recover vs remove
71% similar
recover vs removed
71% similar

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

Key facts for recover
PropertyValue
Headwordrecover
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹɪˈkʌvə/
Letters7
Frequency rank#4,401
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs9
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “recover” 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). recover 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 recover is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹɪˈkʌvə/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,401 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 11 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for recover, with forms such as "ercover", "rceover", and "reccover". 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 9 confusable-pair relationships, "rover", "remove", "removed", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English recoveren, rekeveren, from Anglo-Norman recoverer and Old French recovrer, from Latin recuperāre, alternative form of reciperāre. Doublet of recuperate. The noun is from Middle English recover, from the verb. The correct English form is recover, spelled R-E-C-O-V-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    To get back, to regain (a physical thing; in astronomy and navigation, sight of a thing or a signal).
  2. 2
    To salvage, to extricate, to rescue (a thing or person).
  3. 3
    To replenish to, resume (a good state of mind or body).
  4. 4
    To obtain a positive judgement; to win in a lawsuit.
  5. 5
    To gain as compensation or reparation, usually by formal legal process.
  6. 6
    To reach (a place), arrive at.
  7. 7
    To restore to good health, consciousness, life etc.
  8. 8
    To make good by reparation; to make up for; to retrieve; to repair the loss or injury of.
  9. 9
    To regain one's composure, balance etc.
  10. 10
    To get better, to regain health or prosperity.
  11. 11
    To recover from.

Etymology

From Middle English recoveren, rekeveren, from Anglo-Norman recoverer and Old French recovrer, from Latin recuperāre, alternative form of reciperāre. Doublet of recuperate. The noun is from Middle English recover, from the verb.

This word in other languages

recuperar(Español)recouvrer(Français)zurückgewinnen(Deutsch)recuperar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ercover,rceover,reccover,recoevr,recoverr,recovre,recovver,recvoer,reocver,rrecover

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of recover - 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.

ercover2rceover2reccover1recoevr2recoverr1recovre2recovver1recvoer2
Edit distance from "recover"

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 "recover"?
"recover" is spelled R-E-C-O-V-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈkʌvə/.
What does "recover" mean?
As a verb, "recover" means: To get back, to regain (a physical thing; in astronomy and navigation, sight of a thing or a signal).
What words are commonly confused with "recover"?
"recover" is commonly confused with "rover", "remove", "removed". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "recover"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "recover" is /ɹɪˈkʌvə/. 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 "recover"?
From Middle English recoveren, rekeveren, from Anglo-Norman recoverer and Old French recovrer, from Latin recuperāre, alternative form of reciperāre. Doublet of recuperate. The noun is from Middle English recover, from the verb. 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 “recover”

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

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