distrait

/dɪˈstɹeɪ/

//dɪˈstɹeɪ// adj

"distrait" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - absent-minded, troubled, distracted

Corpus desk

Index EN-distrait · distrait · English

distrait · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 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 distrait
PropertyValue
Headworddistrait
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/dɪˈstɹeɪ/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “distrait” in English

distraitranks 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

distrait is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadjective, transcribed /dɪˈstɹeɪ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "absent-minded, troubled, distracted".

distrait doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French distrait. The correct English form is distrait, spelled D-I-S-T-R-A-I-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    absent-minded, troubled, distracted

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. But to return to our friend Desmond:—he was too well bred to have asked such an unfair question, had he not been completely distrait. When the mind is absent without leave, the deputy it leaves behind to secure its unmolested retreat most resembles that apish faculty, memory, and mechanically imitates the manners, and repeats the phrases of others. (Publi…
  2. I noticed that after my host had read it he seemed even more distrait and strange than before.

Etymology

Borrowed from French distrait.

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 "distrait"?
"distrait" is spelled D-I-S-T-R-A-I-T. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈstɹeɪ/.
What does "distrait" mean?
As an adjective, "distrait" means: absent-minded, troubled, distracted
How do you pronounce "distrait"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "distrait" is /dɪˈstɹeɪ/. 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 "distrait"?
Borrowed from French distrait. 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