valour

/ˈvælə/

//ˈvælə// noun

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

The verdict

“valour” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #32,644 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#32,644
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Individually sustained verve or passion.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

valour vs value
67% similar
valour vs vapor
67% similar
valour vs vigour
67% similar

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

Key facts for valour
PropertyValue
Headwordvalour
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈvælə/
Letters6
Frequency rank#32,644
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “valour” 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). valour 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 valour is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈvælə/. Corpus data places it at rank #32,644 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 valour, with forms such as "avlour", "vallour", and "valoru". 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 5 confusable-pair relationships, "value", "vapor", "vigour", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English valour, from Anglo-Norman valour, from Latin valor. Doublet of valure. The correct English form is valour, spelled V-A-L-O-U-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Individually sustained verve or passion.
  2. 2
    Value; worth.
  3. 3
    Strength of mind in regard to danger; the quality which enables a person to encounter danger with firmness
  4. 4
    A brave man; a man of valour.

Etymology

From Middle English valour, from Anglo-Norman valour, from Latin valor. Doublet of valure.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: avlour,vallour,valoru,valourr,valuor,vaolur,vlaour,vvalour

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

avlour2vallour1valoru2valourr1valuor2vaolur2vlaour2vvalour1
Edit distance from "valour"

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 "valour"?
"valour" is spelled V-A-L-O-U-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈvælə/.
What does "valour" mean?
As a noun, "valour" means: Individually sustained verve or passion.
What words are commonly confused with "valour"?
"valour" is commonly confused with "value", "vapor", "vigour". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "valour"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "valour" is /ˈvælə/. 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 "valour"?
From Middle English valour, from Anglo-Norman valour, from Latin valor. Doublet of valure. 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 “valour”

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

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