The /k/ sound is spelled with <c> or <k> initially, and usually <ck> or <ke> medially or finally though we also see <c> in sic and <cc> in Beccles. The /v/ sound is usually spelled with <v> or <vv>.
S-endings and -ed endings in contrast after final /k/ and /v/ such as cakes/caves and caked/caved are included even though the dictionary transcriptions are not minimal. This is for reasons explained on the main page.
The contrast is between a voiceless velar stop and a voiced labio-dental fricative. It causes no problems.
The pair "culture vulture" has been adopted as an insulting description of people with a strong interest in the fine arts. Other interesting pairs include:
caper vapour
comet vomit
oakum ovum
silken silvan
The mean density value is 1.8%. The list makes 123 semantic distinctions, a loading of 53%.
alike alive beaker beaver beakers beavers Beccles bevels brake brave braking braving brakes braves break brave breaking braving breaks braves breaker braver cake cave caking caving cakes caves caked caved camp vamp camped vamped camping vamping camps vamps can van cans vans candle Vandal candles Vandals cane vain cane vein caned veined canes veins caning veining cane vane canes vanes caper vapour capers vapours carious various cars vase cast vast caste vast cat vat cats vats Celt veld cloak clove cloaks cloves coal vole coals voles coat vote coated voted coating voting coats votes cocks vox coil voile coke cove col vol cols vols collie volley collies volleys colt volt colts volts comet vomit comets vomits corona Verona cortex vortex cortices vortices coterie votary coteries votaries couch vouch couched vouched couches vouches couching vouching cow vow cowed vowed cowing vowing cows vows cox vox crake crave crakes craves cue view cues views culture vulture cultures vultures curb verb curbs verbs curse verse cursed versed curses verses decoyed devoid dickey divvy dickeys divvies dike dive diking diving dikes dives dirk derv duck dove ducks doves eke eve Greek grieve hack have hacking having hark halve harking halving harks halves hike hive hiking hiving incursion inversion incursions inversions joke Jove kail vale Kaiser visor Kaisers visors Kassel vassal kenned vend Kent vent Kerry very ketch vetch ketches vetches key V keys V's killer villa killers villas kine vine kirk curve kirks curves lack lav lacks lavs lake lave lax lavs leak leave leaking leaving leaks leaves leek leave leeks leaves lick live licking living lick lives like live likes lives likely lively likelier livelier likeliest liveliest likelihood livelihood liquor liver liquors livers luck love luckless loveless lucre louvre lux loves moke mauve oakum ovum occur aver occurred averred occurring averring occurs avers ochre over peak peeve peaking peeving peaks peeves pique peeve piques peeves Q view Q's views Quaker quaver Quakers quavers queue view queued viewed queueing viewing queues views quicker quiver Quito veto rake rave raking raving rakes raves reek reeve reeks reeves rickets rivets sake save sakes saves shake shave shaking shaving shakings shavings shakes shaves shaker shaver shakers shavers sheikh shave sheikhs shaves shrike shrive shuck shove shucking shoving shucks shoves sic sieve sick sieve sicking sieving sicks sieves silken silvan six sieves slacker slaver slackers slavers slake slave slaking slaving slakes slaves slaked slaved sleek sleeve slicker sliver slickers slivers spick spiv stake stave staking staving stakes staves steak stave steaks staves stark starve stoke stove strike strive striking striving strikes strives striker striver strikers strivers stroke strove Vic Viv wake waive waking waiving wakes waives wake wave waking waving wakes waves weak weave weaker weaver week weave woke wove woken woven wreck rev wrecks revs wrecking revving wrecked revved
John Higgins, Shaftesbury, April 2010.