# smelt

> English word · Noun · IPA /smɛlt/ · frequency rank #29,468

## Definitions
1. Any small anadromous fish of the family Osmeridae, found in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and in lakes in North America and northern part of Europe.
2. A fool; a simpleton.

## Etymology
From Middle English smelt, from Old English smelt, from Proto-Germanic *smeltaz.

## Easily confused with
- **SMT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelt-vs-smt)
- **smut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelt-vs-smut)
- **spent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelt-vs-spent)
- **sweet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelt-vs-sweet)
- **smile** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelt-vs-smile)
- **spell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelt-vs-spell)
- **sweat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelt-vs-sweat)
- **swept** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelt-vs-swept)
- **swell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelt-vs-swell)
- **spelt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelt-vs-spelt)
- **spilt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelt-vs-spilt)
- **snell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelt-vs-snell)
- **stent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelt-vs-stent)
- **smelter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelt-vs-smelter)
- **set** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/set-vs-smelt)
- **SME** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sme-vs-smelt)
- **Sel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sel-vs-smelt)
- **self** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/self-vs-smelt)
- **sent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sent-vs-smelt)
- **sell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sell-vs-smelt)

## Common misspellings (8)
`mselt`, `semlt`, `smellt`, `smeltt`, `smetl`, `smlet`, `smmelt`, `ssmelt`

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