disfavour

/dɪsˈfeɪvə(ɹ)/

//dɪsˈfeɪvə(ɹ)// noun

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

The verdict

“disfavour” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Lack of favour; displeasure.

Corpus desk

Index EN-disfavour · disfavour · English

disfavour · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "D" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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.

Key facts for disfavour
PropertyValue
Headworddisfavour
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/dɪsˈfeɪvə(ɹ)/
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “disfavour” in English

disfavourranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

disfavour is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /dɪsˈfeɪvə(ɹ)/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

disfavour has no tracked misspelling variants, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From English dis- + favour, from Middle French desfaveur. The correct English form is disfavour, spelled D-I-S-F-A-V-O-U-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Lack of favour; displeasure.
  2. 2
    An unkindness; a disobliging act.
  3. 3
    A state of being out of favour.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. His lateness for the appointment incurred her disfavour.
  2. These same misdeeds have raised a strong sentiment of disfavour against its ally.

Etymology

From English dis- + favour, from Middle French desfaveur.

Synonyms

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "disfavour"?
"disfavour" is spelled D-I-S-F-A-V-O-U-R. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪsˈfeɪvə(ɹ)/.
What does "disfavour" mean?
As a noun, "disfavour" means: Lack of favour; displeasure.
How do you pronounce "disfavour"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "disfavour" is /dɪsˈfeɪvə(ɹ)/. 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 "disfavour"?
From English dis- + favour, from Middle French desfaveur. 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list