Which to use
“leme” and “lesma” are a confusable Portuguese pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #12,478
- “leme” frequency rank
- #39,714
- “lesma” frequency rank
- 52192
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | leme | lesma |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | superfície plana na parte traseira de um barco ou de um avião e que serve para os dirigir | nome vulgar dos moluscos pulmonados da família dos Limacídeos (mais particularmente os do género Limax Cuvier) |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set leme and lesma apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. leme (/ˈlɛ.mɨ/) and lesma (/ˈleʒ.mɐ/) 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 52192, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
leme is recorded at frequency rank #12,478, classified as anoun, pronounced /ˈlɛ.mɨ/. lesma is at rank #39,714, tagged as anoun, pronounced /ˈleʒ.mɐ/.
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 52192, this pair ranks #12,957 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of leme vs lesma
Shared letters: elm. Private to "leme": -. Private to "lesma": as.
"leme" · 4 letters · shape CVCV · "lesma" · 5 letters · shape CVCCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "leme" and "lesma" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "leme" or "lesma"?
Remembering leme vs lesma
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 “leme” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable