Which to use
“épingle” is a noun and “épingler” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #14,831
- “épingle” frequency rank
- #34,370
- “épingler” frequency rank
- 49201
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | épingle | épingler |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Petite tige de métal (laiton, cuivre, fer, acier, etc.) terminée par une pointe à un bout et, de l’autre, par une tête → voir tête d’épingle. | Attacher avec une épingle. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set épingle and épingler apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: épingle is \e.pɛ̃ɡl\ while épingler is \e.pɛ̃.ɡle\. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 extra letter(s) - “épingle” sits inside “épingler”, and the parts of speech differ too (noun vs verb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 49201, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
épingle is recorded at frequency rank #14,831, classified as anoun, pronounced \e.pɛ̃ɡl\. épingler is at rank #34,370, tagged as averb, pronounced \e.pɛ̃.ɡle\.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 49201, this pair ranks #172,604 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of épingle vs épingler
Shared letters: egilnpé. Private to "épingle": -. Private to "épingler": r.
"épingle" · 7 letters · shape VCVCCCV · "épingler" · 8 letters · shape VCVCCCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "épingle" and "épingler" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "épingle" or "épingler"?
Remembering épingle vs épingler
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a noun, it's “épingle”; for a verb, it's “épingler”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “épingle” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable