laver

\la.ve\

/\la.ve\/ verb

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

The verdict

“laver” is a regularly-used French word, ranked #5,047 in French word frequency and used as a verb.

#5,047
frequency rank, French
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Nettoyer avec de l’eau, pure ou savonneuse ou de lessive, ou, avec tout autre liquide.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

laver vs ler
60% similar
laver vs live
60% similar
laver vs love
60% similar

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

Key facts for laver
PropertyValue
Headwordlaver
LanguageFrench
Part of speechVerb
IPA\la.ve\
Letters5
Frequency rank#5,047
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “laver” sits in French 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). laver 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 French entry for laver is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \la.ve\. Corpus data places it at rank #5,047 in overall French word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 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 laver, with forms such as "alver", "laevr", and "laverr". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "ler", "live", "love", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct French form is laver, spelled L-A-V-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Nettoyer avec de l’eau, pure ou savonneuse ou de lessive, ou, avec tout autre liquide.
  2. 2
    Enlever une tache, une salissure, au moyen d’un lavage ou en la frottant au moyen d’un produit chimique ou autre.
  3. 3
    Enlever, en parlant de choses qui flétrissent l’honneur, qui ternissent la réputation.
  4. 4
    Débarrasser.
  5. 5
    Ombrer, colorier un dessin en étendant une ou plusieurs teintes d’encre de Chine, de bistre ou d’autre couleur délayée dans de l’eau de gomme.
  6. 6
    Vendre ou revendre, généralement à perte, quelque chose dont on veut se débarrasser.

This word in other languages

wash(English)lavar(Español)waschen(Deutsch)lavar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: alver,laevr,laverr,lavre,lavver,llaver,lvaer

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

alver2laevr2laverr1lavre2lavver1llaver1lvaer2
Edit distance from "laver"

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "laver"?
"laver" is spelled L-A-V-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is \la.ve\.
What does "laver" mean?
As a verb, "laver" means: Nettoyer avec de l’eau, pure ou savonneuse ou de lessive, ou, avec tout autre liquide.
What words are commonly confused with "laver"?
"laver" is commonly confused with "ler", "live", "love". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "laver"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "laver" is \la.ve\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "laver" come from?
"laver" is a French 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 “laver”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is L-A-V-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \la.ve\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “ler” - see the side-by-side comparison. laver vs ler
  • Browse more French words and confusable pairs in the same reference. French 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