bearer and beaver differ by a single letter, buried far enough into the word to be easy to miss. bearer means “someone whose employment involves carrying something”. beaver means “the soft brown fur of the beaver”.
/ˈbɛɹɚ/
1.n.someone whose employment involves carrying something
“the bonds were transmitted by carrier”
2.n.a messenger who bears or presents
“a bearer of good tidings”
3.n.one of the mourners carrying the coffin at a funeral
/ˈbivɚ/
1.n.the soft brown fur of the beaver
2.n.a native or resident of Oregon
3.n.a full beard
| bearer | beaver | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛɹɚ/ | /ˈbivɚ/ |
| Said | BER-ur | BEE-vur |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 6 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun, verb |
| Senses | 4 | 8 |
| How common | Familiar | Familiar |
| Synonyms | carrier, toter | beaver fur |
Full entry for bearer · Full entry for beaver · More comparisons