Minimal Pair List Consonants /m/ versus /l/, 590 pairs
The /m/ sound is spelled with <m>, <mm> or <mb> in comb . The /l/ sound is spelled with <l> or <ll>. Notice how the homograph lead pairs with Med and mead . The software picked out numerous pairs in which the sounds appeared in reverse order such as lame/male , smile/slime and lemon/melon , but I have disallowed then as they are not strictly minimal, though confusable.
This is a contrast between a bilabial nasal continuant and a lateral continuant, both voiced. It is not a problem.
Several pairs are formed from a Latinate -ium ending contrasting with its adjective derivative such as bacterium/bacterial . Other interesting pairs include:
amass alas
foreman fallen
magician logician
marvel larval
meagrely legally
measure leisure
Mexican lexicon
mobster lobster
moral laurel
pemmican pelican
sesame Cecily
summon sullen
woman woollen
The mean density value is 3%. The lists make 315 semantic distinctions, a loading of 53%.
aim ail aimed ailed aiming ailing aims ails aim ale aims ales am Al amass alas amaze allays Amesbury Aylesbury amour allure amours allures amp alp amps alps bacterium bacterial balmy barley barmy barley boom buhl brim brill calm Carl came kail charms Charles chimed child coaming coaling coma cola comas colas comb coal combed coaled combs coals combing coaling come cull comes culls coming culling comer colour comers colours comic colic comma choler commas cholers comma collar commas collars commonest colonist consummation consolation consummations consolations corm call corms calls cranium cranial cream creel creams creels dame dale dames dales deem deal deeming dealing deems deals dim dill dome dole domed doled domes doles dumb dull dumber duller dumbest dullest dumbness dullness fame fail famed failed fem fell femur feeler femurs feelers firm furl firmed furled firming furling firms furls flame flail flamed flailed flames flails flaming flailing foam foal foamed foaled foaming foaling foams foals foreman fallen form fall forming falling forms falls frame frail game Gael games Gaels game gale games gales gammon gallon gammons gallons gammy galley gamy gaily gem gel gems gels gnome knoll gnomes knolls grim grill gum gull gummed gulled gumming gulling gums gulls gummy gully gym gill gyms gills ham Hal haulm hall hem hell hems hells hemmed held hemp help him hill home hole homes holes homing holing homed holed homey holy homograph holograph homographs holographs hum hull hummed hulled humming hulling hums hulls hymn hill hymns hills James gaols jemmy jelly jemmies jellies Jim gill Khmer Clare kilometres kilolitres lime lisle loamy lowly loamier lowlier loamiest lowliest M L M's L's ma la ma'am lam Mabel label mac lack macs lacks mace lace maces laces macerate lacerate macerated lacerated macerates lacerates macerating lacerating Mach lakh Mach lark mad lad madder ladder Maddy laddie made lade made laid mag lag mags lags magician logician magicians logicians maid lade maids lades maid laid maiden laden maim mail maimed mailed maiming mailing maims mails maim male maims males Maine lain Maine lane main lain main lane mains lanes make lake makes lakes manned land many Lenny map lap mapped lapped mapping lapping maps laps march larch marches larches mare lair mares lairs mare layer mares layers mark lakh mark lark marked larked marking larking marks larks marred lard marry Larry marvel larval maser laser masers lasers mash lash mashed lashed mashing lashing mashes lashes massy lassie mast last masts lasts match latch matched latched matches latches matching latching mate late matins Latins Matt lat mat lat matter latter Maud laud Maud lord maunder launder maundered laundered maundering laundering maunders launders mauves loaves maw law maws laws Max lacks May lay Mays lays mayor lair mayors lairs mayor layer mayors layers maze laze mazes lazes me Leigh me lea me lee mead lead meagrely legally mean lean means leans meant leant meaner leaner meanest leanest meaning leaning meanings leanings meanness leanness meant lent measure leisure measured leisured Med lead Med led Mede lead Medes leads medium medial Meg leg memo mellow memos mellows men Len mend lend mending lending mends lends mender lender menders lenders mental lentil mere leer meres leers met let Metz let's mewed lewd Mexican lexicon Mexicans lexicons mice lice Mick lick might light mike like mikes likes mile lisle mill Lil millennium millennial Millie Lily millimetres millilitres million Lilian milt lilt mime lime miming liming mimes limes mimed limed mime mile mimes miles mimed mild mind lined mine line mines lines mining lining miner liner miners liners mink link minks links mint lint minute linnet minutes linnets minx lynx minxes lynxes mire liar mires liars missed list mist list misted listed misting listing mists lists mite light mites lights mitigate litigate mitigated litigated mitigates litigates mitigating litigating mitigation litigation mitre lighter mitres lighters mix licks Mo lo Mo low moan loan moaned loaned moaning loaning moans loans mob lob mobbed lobbed mobbing lobbing mobs lobs mobster lobster mobsters lobsters mock lock mocked locked mocking locking mocks locks mocker locker mockers lockers mode lode modes lodes Mods Lodz moll loll molls lolls Molly lolly moo lieu moo loo moos loos moon loon moons loons moony loony moonier loonier mooniest looniest moor lure moored lured mooring luring moors lures moose loose mooses looses moot loot mooted looted mooting looting moots loots mop lop mopped lopped mopping lopping mops lops mope lope moped loped mopes lopes moping loping moral laurel morals laurels more law more lor morn lawn morns lawns moss loss mosses losses motion lotion motions lotions motto lotto mourn lawn mourns lawns mouse louse mover louvre movers louvres mow low mows lows mowing lowing mowed lowed mowed load mowed lode mower lower mowers lowers MP LP MP's LPs Ms Liz muck luck mucky lucky muckier luckier muckiest luckiest mucks luxe muff luff muffed luffed muffs luffs mug lug mugged lugged mugging lugging mugs lugs mugger lugger muggers luggers mull lull mulled lulled mulls lulls mum mull mums mulls mummer mullah mummers mullahs mummy lumme mumps lumps much lunch munched lunched munches lunches munching lunching murk lurk mush lush mussed lust must lust musts lusts muster lustre musty lusty mustier lustier mustiest lustiest my lie name nail named nailed names nails naming nailing Newham newel nostrum nostril nostrums nostrils numb null palmer parlour palmers parlours palmy parley Pam pal pemmican pelican perm pearl permed pearled perming pearling perms pearls pom poll poms polls pommies polys pommy Polly pump pulp pumped pulped pumping pulping pumps pulps radium radial ream real ream reel reams reels rectum rectal remade relaid Rheims reels rheum rule rhyme rile rhymed riled rhymes riles rhyming riling rim rill rims rills roam rôle roams rôles roam roll roamed rolled roaming rolling roams rolls Rome rôle Rome roll room rule roomed ruled rooming ruling rooms rules rumour ruler rumours rulers same sale Sammy Sally scamp scalp scamped scalped scamping scalping scamps scalps scum scull seam seal seamed sealed seaming sealing seams seals seaming ceiling seem seal seemed sealed seeming sealing seems seals seeming ceiling sesame Cecily sham shall shame shale skim skill skimmed skilled skims skills slimy slyly smack slack smacked slacked smacking slacking smacks slacks smacker slacker smackers slackers smash slash smashed slashed smashes slashes smashing slashing smite sleight smites sleights smiting slighting smite slight smog slog smogs slogs smudge sludge smug slug smut slut smuts sluts spectrum spectral steam steal steamed steeled steaming stealing steams steals steamy steely steamier steelier steamiest steeliest storm stall stormed stalled storming stalling storms stalls summon sullen swim swill swimming swilling swims swills tame tail tamed tailed tames tails taming tailing tame tale tames tales tamer tailor tamers tailors tammy tally tammies tallies team teal teams teals teem teal teems teals Thame tail thyme tile time tile timed tiled times tiles timing tiling tomb tool tombs tools tome toll tomes tolls trauma trawler traumas trawlers trim trill trimmed trilled trimming trilling trims trills undermine underline undermined underlined undermines underlines undermining underlining unmatched unlatched warm wall warmed walled warming walling warms walls whim will whims wills woman woollen worm whirl wormed whirled worming whirling worms whirls
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