matar

[maˈt̪aɾ]

/[maˈt̪aɾ]/ verb

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

The verdict

“matar” is a regularly-used Spanish word, ranked #1,383 in Spanish word frequency and used as a verb.

#1,383
frequency rank, Spanish
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Quitar la vida.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

matar vs meta
60% similar
matar vs mate
60% similar
matar vs mato
60% similar

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

Key facts for matar
PropertyValue
Headwordmatar
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechVerb
IPA[maˈt̪aɾ]
Letters5
Frequency rank#1,383
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “matar” sits in Spanish 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). matar 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 Spanish entry for matar is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [maˈt̪aɾ]. Corpus data places it at rank #1,383 in overall Spanish word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 20 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for matar, with forms such as "amtar", "maatr", and "matarr". 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, "meta", "mate", "mato", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct Spanish form is matar, spelled M-A-T-A-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Quitar la vida.
  2. 2
    Ocasionar la muerte.
  3. 3
    Destruir algo inmaterial.
  4. 4
    Acabar con la paciencia de alguien.
  5. 5
    Perjudicar la salud, dañar.
  6. 6
    Fatigar en exceso.
  7. 7
    Causar una gran sorpresa.
  8. 8
    Apagar el fuego, lumbre o luz.
  9. 9
    Volver más opaco o débil un color o un brillo.
  10. 10
    Calmar la sed o el hambre.
  11. 11
    Quitarle fuerza al yeso o la cal agregándole agua.
  12. 12
    Ocasionar llagas la montura, el apero, correas u otra cosa, al caballo (o al animal de tiro, carga o de monta).
  13. 13
    Volver romos, los bordes cortantes o puntiagudos.
  14. 14
    Con relación al tiempo de espera o desocupado, hacerlo pasar realizando una actividad cualquiera.
  15. 15
    Marcar con un timbre los sellos de cartas y envíos postales en las oficinas de correos.
  16. 16
    En diversos juegos con fichas o piezas: hacer volver la pieza o ficha al punto de partida o sacarla del juego.
  17. 17
    En juegos de naipes, superar al contrario con una carta de más valor.
  18. 18
    En juegos de naipes, fullería consistente en marcar con la uña algunas cartas.
  19. 19
    En algunos juegos con pelota, tocar a un jugador con la pelota para eliminarlo.
  20. 20
    Bajar la pelota a tierra al recibir un pase, y detenerla completamente.

Synonyms

acabarajusticiarasesinarcargarsecepillarsedejar fritodejar secodespacharejecutareliminarfiniquitarquitar de enmediosuprimirdesazonarincomodarmolestardañarenfermaragotarcansarextenuarasombrarsorprenderapagarextinguirapagardeslustraropacarapagarcalmarsaciarherirllagarlimarredondearsuavizarmatasellar

This word in other languages

kill(English)tuer(Français)töten(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: amtar,maatr,matarr,matra,mattar,mmatar,mtaar

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of matar - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

amtar2maatr2matarr1matra2mattar1mmatar1mtaar2
Edit distance from "matar"

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 Spanish corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "matar"?
"matar" is spelled M-A-T-A-R. The IPA pronunciation is [maˈt̪aɾ].
What does "matar" mean?
As a verb, "matar" means: Quitar la vida.
What words are commonly confused with "matar"?
"matar" is commonly confused with "meta", "mate", "mato". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "matar"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "matar" is [maˈt̪aɾ]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "matar" come from?
"matar" is a Spanish word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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 “matar”

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

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is M-A-T-A-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [maˈt̪aɾ] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “meta” - see the side-by-side comparison. matar vs meta
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish 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