Spelling.School · How to spell

How to spell believe

Believe is spelled B-E-L-I-E-V-E. Never believe a lie: the word LIE sits right in the middle of be-lie-ve.

hear itbe·lieve/bɪ'liv/verbSilent and tricky

What it means: To accept something as true or real.

In a sentence: I believe in unicorns and fairies.

The part people get wrong

Watch for the order of ie.

Same family: belief, believer, unbelievable, believing, disbelief. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.

Where it comes from: Believe comes from Old English “belýfan” or “gelýfan,” meaning to trust or have faith. It is related to the word “lief,” an old word meaning ‘dear’ or ‘beloved,’ so its roots are connected to the idea of holding something dear or trusting it.

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