Which to use
“lèvre” and “lièvre” are a confusable French pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #13,423
- “lèvre” frequency rank
- #18,525
- “lièvre” frequency rank
- 31948
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | lèvre | lièvre |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Partie extérieure et charnue qui borde la bouche, qui couvre les dents et qui aide à la formation des sons, à l’articulation des mots. Note d’usage : Très souvent employé au pluriel pour comprendre la lèvre supérieure et la lèvre inférieure. | Quadrupède mammifère, à longues oreilles, de la famille des léporidés, qui a les pattes de derrière plus longues que celles de devant, ce qui le rend très rapide à la course. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set lèvre and lièvre apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. lèvre (\lɛvʁ\) and lièvre (\ljɛvʁ\) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 31948, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
lèvre is recorded at frequency rank #13,423, classified as anoun, pronounced \lɛvʁ\. lièvre is at rank #18,525, tagged as anoun, pronounced \ljɛvʁ\.
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 31948, this pair ranks #300,549 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of lèvre vs lièvre
Shared letters: elrvè. Private to "lèvre": -. Private to "lièvre": i.
"lèvre" · 5 letters · shape CVCCV · "lièvre" · 6 letters · shape CVVCCV
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "lèvre" and "lièvre" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "lèvre" or "lièvre"?
Remembering lèvre vs lièvre
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “lèvre” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable