value

/ˈvæl.juː/

//ˈvæl.juː// noun

"value" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“value” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #745 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#745
frequency rank, English
5
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The quality that renders something desirable or valuable; worth.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

value vs vile
60% similar
value vs vase
60% similar
value vs vape
60% similar

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

Key facts for value
PropertyValue
Headwordvalue
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈvæl.juː/
Letters5
Frequency rank#745
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “value” 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). value 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 value is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈvæl.juː/. Corpus data places it at rank #745 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 11 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for value, with forms such as "avlue", "valeu", and "vallue". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "vile", "vase", "vape", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English valew, value, from Old French value, feminine past participle of valoir, from Latin valēre (“be strong, be worth”), from Proto-Italic *walēō, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- (“to be strong”). The correct English form is value, spelled V-A-L-U-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    The quality that renders something desirable or valuable; worth.
  2. 2
    The degree of importance given to something.
  3. 3
    That which is valued or highly esteemed, such as one's morals, morality, or belief system.
  4. 4
    The amount (of money or goods or services) that is considered to be a fair equivalent for something else.
  5. 5
    The relative duration of a musical note.
  6. 6
    The relative darkness or lightness of a color in (a specific area of) a painting etc.
  7. 7
    Any definite numerical quantity or other mathematical object, determined by being measured, computed, or otherwise defined.
  8. 8
    Precise meaning; import.
  9. 9
    The valuable ingredients to be obtained by treating a mass or compound; specifically, the precious metals contained in rock, gravel, etc.
  10. 10
    Esteem; regard.
  11. 11
    Valour.

Etymology

From Middle English valew, value, from Old French value, feminine past participle of valoir, from Latin valēre (“be strong, be worth”), from Proto-Italic *walēō, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- (“to be strong”).

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: avlue,valeu,vallue,vaule,vlaue,vvalue

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of value - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

avlue2valeu2vallue1vaule2vlaue2vvalue1
Edit distance from "value"

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 "value"?
"value" is spelled V-A-L-U-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈvæl.juː/.
What does "value" mean?
As a noun, "value" means: The quality that renders something desirable or valuable; worth.
What words are commonly confused with "value"?
"value" is commonly confused with "vile", "vase", "vape". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "value"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "value" is /ˈvæl.juː/. 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 "value"?
From Middle English valew, value, from Old French value, feminine past participle of valoir, from Latin valēre (“be strong, be worth”), from Proto-Italic *walēō, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- (“to be strong”). 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 “value”

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

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