efface
/əˈfeɪs/verb
efface is spelled E-F-F-A-C-E: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 28 million words in written English, the 161,690th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, efface means “To erase (as anything impressed or inscribed upon a surface); to render illegible or indiscernible” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in efface?
| Letters | 6: E-F-F-A-C-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 28 million words; the 161,690th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is efface?
Efface appears about once in every 28 million words in written English, the 161,690th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce efface?
- /əˈfeɪs/
- /ɪˈfeɪs/
Efface has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-efface.wav, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-efface2.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of efface
- effaces present, singular, he/she/it
- effacing participle, present
- effaced participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does efface mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To erase (as anything impressed or inscribed upon a surface); to render illegible or indiscernible.
Do not efface what I've written on the chalkboard.
- 2
To cause to disappear as if by rubbing out or striking out.
Some people like to efface their own memories with alcohol.
- 3
To make oneself inobtrusive as if due to modesty or diffidence.
Many people seem shy, but they really just efface for meekness.
- 4
Of the cervix during pregnancy, to thin and stretch in preparation for labor.
- 5
Of a woman: to have the cervix thin and stretch in this manner.
Some females efface 75% by the 39th week of pregnancy.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Efface in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | effacer , s'effacer |
| German | unkenntlich machen, unlesbar machen, verwischen , ausradieren, auslöschen, zum Verschwinden bringen |
| Spanish | borrar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does efface come from?
From Middle French effacer (“erase”), from Old French esfacier (“remove the face”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).