Which to use
“limão” and “lítio” are a confusable Portuguese pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #6,316
- “limão” frequency rank
- #26,804
- “lítio” frequency rank
- 33120
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | limão | lítio |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | fruto do limoeiro, de forma ovoide, cítrico de cor verde-amarela e de sabor ácido | elemento químico de símbolo Li, possui o número atômico 3 e massa atômica relativa 7; não é encontrado livre na natureza; é um elemento da classe dos alcalinos; na sua forma pura, é um metal macio de coloração branco prateado; é utilizado para produção de ligas metálicas condutoras de calor, em baterias elétricas, vidros e prismas especiais e, como medicamento, no tratamento de certos tipos de depressão |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set limão and lítio 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. limão (/li.ˈmɐ̃w̃/) and lítio (/ˈlitiu/) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 3 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 33120, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
limão is recorded at frequency rank #6,316, classified as anoun, pronounced /li.ˈmɐ̃w̃/. lítio is at rank #26,804, tagged as anoun, pronounced /ˈlitiu/.
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 33120, this pair ranks #34,486 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of limão vs lítio
Shared letters: ilo. Private to "limão": mã. Private to "lítio": tí.
"limão" · 5 letters · shape CVCVV · "lítio" · 5 letters · shape CVCVV
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "limão" and "lítio" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "limão" or "lítio"?
Remembering limão vs lítio
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 “limão” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable