competent

/ˈkɒmpətənt/

//ˈkɒmpətənt// adj

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

"competent" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“competent” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,018 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#8,018
frequency rank, English
9
letters
14
tracked misspellings
9
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Having sufficient skill, knowledge, ability, or qualifications.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

competent vs competes
78% similar
competent vs component
78% similar
competent vs competing
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for competent
PropertyValue
Headwordcompetent
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈkɒmpətənt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#8,018
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs9
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “competent” 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). competent lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for competent is 9 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkɒmpətənt/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,018 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for competent, with forms such as "ccompetent", "cmopetent", and "comeptent". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 9 confusable-pair relationships, "competes", "component", "competing", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English competent, conpetent, from Old French competent (modern French compétent), from Latin competens, competentem, present participle of competō (“coincide, be equal to, be capable of”). Compare Dutch competent (“competent”), German kompetent… The correct English form is competent, spelled C-O-M-P-E-T-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Having sufficient skill, knowledge, ability, or qualifications.
  2. 2
    Having jurisdiction or authority over a particular issue or question.
  3. 3
    Adequate for the purpose.
  4. 4
    Functionally in order; functioning adequately.
  5. 5
    Permeable to foreign DNA.
  6. 6
    Resistant to deformation or flow.

Etymology

From Middle English competent, conpetent, from Old French competent (modern French compétent), from Latin competens, competentem, present participle of competō (“coincide, be equal to, be capable of”). Compare Dutch competent (“competent”), German kompetent (“competent”), Danish kompetent (“competent”).

Antonyms

incompetent

This word in other languages

competente(Español)compétent(Français)kompetent(Deutsch)competente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccompetent,cmopetent,comeptent,commpetent,compeetnt,competennt,competentt,competetn,competnet,compettent,comppetent,compteent,copmetent,ocmpetent

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of competent - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ccompetent1cmopetent2comeptent2commpetent1compeetnt2competennt1competentt1competetn2
Edit distance from "competent"

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 "competent"?
"competent" is spelled C-O-M-P-E-T-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɒmpətənt/.
What does "competent" mean?
As an adjective, "competent" means: Having sufficient skill, knowledge, ability, or qualifications.
What words are commonly confused with "competent"?
"competent" is commonly confused with "competes", "component", "competing". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "competent"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "competent" is /ˈkɒmpətənt/. 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 "competent"?
From Middle English competent, conpetent, from Old French competent (modern French compétent), from Latin competens, competentem, present participle of competō (“coincide, be equal to, be capable of”). Compare Dutch competent (“competent”), German... 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 “competent”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-M-P-E-T-E-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɒmpətənt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “competes” - see the side-by-side comparison. competent vs competes
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list