Are “Axel” and “Axle” the Same Thing? What You Need to Know

Comparing and contrasting these similar sounding words

We get it! Words that sound the same but are spelled differently can be wildly confusing. Thankfully, we’re here to help! In this quick guide, we’ll explain what “axel” and “axle” mean and whether or not they’re the same thing. With a bit of context, you can determine if you should use the word “axel” or “axle.”

Things You Should Know

  • “Axel” can refer to a famous jump in figure skating or be a person’s name.
  • “Axle” is the rod that connects the wheels of a car.
  • “Axel” and “axle” are not the same word even though they sound the same, which makes them heterographs.
Section 1 of 4:

What does axel mean?

  1. Image titled Axel vs Axle Step 1
    1
    “Axel” is a jump in figure skating. This jump style requires the skater to jump forward with their knees bent and land backward after one or more turns.[1] The jump was named after the Norwegian skater Axel Paulsen after he landed it for the first time in the 1882 World Championships.[2]
    • Did you know that the axel is the only style of jump where a skater starts in a forward motion?
    • A double axel means the skater turns 2 times in the air before landing, and a triple axel requires 3 turns.
  2. Image titled Axel vs Axle Step 2
    2
    “Axel” can be a person’s name. The name Axel has Old German origins and is the Medieval Danish form of Absalom. It means “father of peace” or “divine source of life.” Axel became a popular name in 2018 and was in the top 80 baby names in 2020.[3]
    • Famous characters named Axel appear in William Faulkner’s Absalom, Absalom, the TV show The Middle, and Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth.
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Section 2 of 4:

What does axle mean?

  1. Image titled Axel vs Axle Step 3
    “Axle” is a rod that connects 2 wheels. This word is often used when discussing cars or other vehicles, as the axle is what allows wheels to turn.[4] For example, you may see the word used as follows:
    • The mechanic needed to fix the axles of the car.
    • As I drove over the curb, the rear axle snapped, and the back left wheel came off.
    • The wheels of a vehicle spin on an axle.
Section 3 of 4:

Can someone write “axel” and mean “axle”?

  1. Image titled Axel vs Axle Step 4
    Yes, “axel” and “axle” are often confused because they’re heterographs. This means the words have the same sound but different spellings and meanings. If you’re texting someone and they type “axel,” but the context suggests the meaning of “axle” (or vice versa), chances are they just misspelled the word.
    • Heterographs are words pronounced similarly but have different spellings and meanings. For instance, “to,” “too,” and “two” are heterographs.[5]
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Section 4 of 4:

Is axis and axle the same thing?

  1. Image titled Axel vs Axle Step 5
    Technically, an axis isn’t an axle, but they are similar. An “axis” is a real or imaginary line that runs through the center of an object.[6] As an axle is a rod used to connect 2 wheels, you could say it runs along an axis.

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References

  1. ↑ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/axel
  2. ↑ https://olympics.com/en/news/whats-the-difference-figure-skating-jumps-olympics-beijing-2022
  3. ↑ https://www.familyeducation.com/baby-names/name-meaning/axel
  4. ↑ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/axle
  5. ↑ https://wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-is-a-homonym
  6. ↑ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/axis

About This Article

Aly Rusciano
Co-authored by:
Aly Rusciano
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Aly Rusciano. Aly Rusciano is a Creative Writer based outside of Nashville, Tennessee. She has over ten years of experience in creative, academic, and professional writing. Aly’s writing has been nationally recognized in the Sigma Tau Delta Rectangle and featured in Blue Marble Review, The Sunshine Review, PopMatters, and Cathartic Literary Magazine. She graduated from The University of Tennessee at Martin with a BA in English, focusing in Creative Writing and minoring in Theatre.
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Co-authors: 5
Updated: March 11, 2023
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Categories: English Vocabulary
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