befit

/bɪˈfɪt/

//bɪˈfɪt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"befit" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“befit” is uncommon English (frequency #87,064 among 31,241 “B” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#87,064
frequency rank, English
31,241
“B” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - to be fit for

Key facts for befit
PropertyValue
Headwordbefit
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/bɪˈfɪt/
Letters5
Frequency rank#87,064
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “befit” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). befit lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

befit is uncommon English at frequency #87,064 among 31,241 “B” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /bɪˈfɪt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "to be fit for".

befit has no tracked misspelling variants, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From be- + fit. The correct English form is befit, spelled B-E-F-I-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    to be fit for

Etymology

From be- + fit.

Synonyms

behoovebehove

This word in other languages

anstehen(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "befit"?
"befit" is spelled B-E-F-I-T. The IPA pronunciation is /bɪˈfɪt/.
What does "befit" mean?
As a verb, "befit" means: to be fit for
How do you pronounce "befit"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "befit" is /bɪˈfɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "befit"?
From be- + fit. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “befit”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is B-E-F-I-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /bɪˈfɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list