Which to use
“maço” and “moção” are a confusable Portuguese pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #25,742
- “maço” frequency rank
- #13,980
- “moção” frequency rank
- 39722
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | maço | moção |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | instrumento de madeira encabado para uso de carpinteiros, escultores, etc. | ato ou efeito de mover |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set maço and moção 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. maço (/ˈma.su/) and moção (/mu.ˈsɐ̃w̃/) 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 39722, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
maço is recorded at frequency rank #25,742, classified as anoun, pronounced /ˈma.su/. moção is at rank #13,980, tagged as anoun, pronounced /mu.ˈsɐ̃w̃/.
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 39722, this pair ranks #26,480 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of maço vs moção
Shared letters: moç. Private to "maço": a. Private to "moção": ã.
"maço" · 4 letters · shape CVCV · "moção" · 5 letters · shape CVCVV
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "maço" and "moção" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "maço" or "moção"?
Remembering maço vs moção
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 “maço” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable