router

/ˈɹuː.tə(ɹ)/

//ˈɹuː.tə(ɹ)// noun

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

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

The verdict

“router” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #15,046 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#15,046
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Someone who routes or directs items from one location to another.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

router vs ruler
67% similar
router vs rover
67% similar
router vs rower
67% similar

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

Key facts for router
PropertyValue
Headwordrouter
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɹuː.tə(ɹ)/
Letters6
Frequency rank#15,046
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “router” 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). router 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 router is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɹuː.tə(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #15,046 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 router, with forms such as "oruter", "rotuer", and "rouetr". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "ruler", "rover", "rower", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From route + -er. The correct English form is router, spelled R-O-U-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Someone who routes or directs items from one location to another.
  2. 2
    Any device that directs packets of information using the equivalent of Open Systems Interconnection layer 3 (network layer) information. Most commonly used in reference to Internet Protocol routers.
  3. 3
    A device that connects local area networks to form a larger internet by, at minimum, selectively passing those datagrams having a destination IP address to the network which is able to deliver them to their destination; a network gateway.
  4. 4
    In integrated circuit or printed circuit board design, an algorithm for adding all wires needed to properly connect all of the placed components while obeying all design rules.

Etymology

From route + -er.

This word in other languages

router(Español)routeur(Français)Router(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: oruter,rotuer,rouetr,routerr,routre,routter,rrouter,ruoter

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of router - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

oruter2rotuer2rouetr2routerr1routre2routter1rrouter1ruoter2
Edit distance from "router"

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 "router"?
"router" is spelled R-O-U-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹuː.tə(ɹ)/.
What does "router" mean?
As a noun, "router" means: Someone who routes or directs items from one location to another.
What words are commonly confused with "router"?
"router" is commonly confused with "ruler", "rover", "rower". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "router"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "router" is /ˈɹuː.tə(ɹ)/. 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 "router"?
From route + -er. 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 “router”

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

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