# shawl

> English word · Noun · IPA /ʃɔːl/ · frequency rank #23,391

## Definitions
1. A square or rectangular piece of cloth worn as a covering for the head, neck, and shoulders, typically by women.
2. A fold of wrinkled flesh under the lips and neck of a bloodhound, used in scenting.

## Etymology
From Hindi शाल (śāl) and Urdu شال (śāl), from Persian شال (šâl).

## Easily confused with
- **show** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shawl-vs-show)
- **shay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shawl-vs-shay)
- **slaw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shawl-vs-slaw)
- **small** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shawl-vs-small)
- **shows** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shawl-vs-shows)
- **shown** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shawl-vs-shown)
- **shell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shawl-vs-shell)
- **Shawn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shawl-vs-shawn)
- **stall** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shawl-vs-stall)
- **snail** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shawl-vs-snail)
- **spawn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shawl-vs-spawn)
- **shoal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shawl-vs-shoal)
- **showy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shawl-vs-showy)
- **shill** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shawl-vs-shill)
- **snarl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shawl-vs-snarl)
- **sprawl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shawl-vs-sprawl)
- **saw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/saw-vs-shawl)
- **sal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sal-vs-shawl)
- **sha** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sha-vs-shawl)
- **seal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/seal-vs-shawl)

## Common misspellings (8)
`hsawl`, `sahwl`, `shalw`, `shawll`, `shawwl`, `shhawl`, `shwal`, `sshawl`

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