defunct

/dɪˈfʌŋkt/

//dɪˈfʌŋkt// adj

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

"defunct" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“defunct” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #20,088. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#20,088
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords
11
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - No longer in use or active, nor expected to be again.

Corpus desk

Index EN-defunct · defunct · English

defunct · rank #20,088 · 11 variants · 4 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #20,088
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 4 pairs
  • VAR-MID 11 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH defensively

Nearest frequency peer: defensively (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “defunct”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “defunct” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

defunct vs defect
71% similar
defunct vs deduct
71% similar
defunct vs defence
71% similar

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

Key facts for defunct
PropertyValue
Headworddefunct
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/dɪˈfʌŋkt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#20,088
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “defunct” 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). defunct lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around defunct (IPA /dɪˈfʌŋkt/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #20,088 among 3,470 “D” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for defunct, with forms such as "ddefunct", "deffunct", and "defnuct". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "defect", "deduct", "defence", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin dēfunctus, past participle of dēfungor (“to finish, discharge”). The correct English form is defunct, spelled D-E-F-U-N-C-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    No longer in use or active, nor expected to be again.
  2. 2
    No longer in use or active, nor expected to be again.
  3. 3
    Specifically, of a process: having terminated but not having been reaped (by its parent or an inheritor), and thus still occupying a process slot. See also zombie, zombie process.
  4. 4
    (of a language) No longer spoken.
  5. 5
    Deceased, dead.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how defunct appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. [T]he engineer must solve the mysteries of boiler accidents by studying defunct structures of many different types.
  2. When a language dies members of the culture of which that language was once a part may attempt to hold on to their linguistic heritage, if not by the use of the defunct language itself, at least by the preservation of its script.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin dēfunctus, past participle of dēfungor (“to finish, discharge”).

This word in other languages

difunto(Español)défunt(Français)erloschen(Deutsch)inativo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ddefunct
  • deffunct
  • defnuct
  • defucnt
  • defuncct
  • defunctt
  • defunnct
  • defuntc
  • deufnct
  • dfeunct
  • edfunct

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of defunct - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ddefunct1deffunct1defnuct2defucnt2defuncct1defunctt1defunnct1defuntc2
Edit distance from "defunct"

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.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "defunct"?
"defunct" is spelled D-E-F-U-N-C-T. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈfʌŋkt/.
What does "defunct" mean?
As an adjective, "defunct" means: No longer in use or active, nor expected to be again.
What words are commonly confused with "defunct"?
"defunct" is commonly confused with "defect", "deduct", "defence". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "defunct"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "defunct" is /dɪˈfʌŋkt/. 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 "defunct"?
Borrowed from Latin dēfunctus, past participle of dēfungor (“to finish, discharge”). 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "defunct", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

degrade#20,089decimal#20,086diffuse#20,095dreamer#20,099

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (11 here; floor ≥5).

cramped11 variantsentropy11 variantsesteemed11 variantscheaply11 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "defunct". Here's where to go from here.

  • "defunct" maps to 4 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "defect". View pair
  • 11 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #20,088 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "D" letter cohort. D–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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