entertain

/ˌɛntəˈteɪn/

//ˌɛntəˈteɪn// verb

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

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

The verdict

“entertain” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #9,175 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#9,175
frequency rank, English
9
letters
13
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - to amuse (someone); to engage the attention of agreeably

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

entertain vs entertained
82% similar
entertain vs entertainer
82% similar

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

Key facts for entertain
PropertyValue
Headwordentertain
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˌɛntəˈteɪn/
Letters9
Frequency rank#9,175
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “entertain” 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). entertain 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 entertain is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɛntəˈteɪn/. Corpus data places it at rank #9,175 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for entertain, with forms such as "enetrtain", "enntertain", and "enteratin". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "entertained", "entertainer", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English entertenen, from Middle French entretenir, from Old French entretenir, from entre (“among”) + tenir (“to hold”), from Latin inter + teneō (“hold, keep”). For the noun, compare French entretien. Sense of answering a phone call in Malaysia… The correct English form is entertain, spelled E-N-T-E-R-T-A-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    to amuse (someone); to engage the attention of agreeably
  2. 2
    To have someone over at one's home, or some other venue, for a party or visit.
  3. 3
    to receive and take into consideration; to have a thought in mind
  4. 4
    to take or keep in one's service; to maintain; to support; to harbour; to keep
  5. 5
    to meet or encounter, as an enemy
  6. 6
    to lead on; to bring along; to introduce
  7. 7
    to help; to assist; to answer a phone call

Etymology

From Middle English entertenen, from Middle French entretenir, from Old French entretenir, from entre (“among”) + tenir (“to hold”), from Latin inter + teneō (“hold, keep”). For the noun, compare French entretien. Sense of answering a phone call in Malaysian English is influenced by Malay layan “to serve, to attend to or engage with something”.

This word in other languages

divertir(Español)divertir(Français)unterhalten(Deutsch)entreter(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: enetrtain,enntertain,enteratin,enterrtain,entertainn,entertani,entertian,enterttain,entetrain,entretain,enttertain,etnertain,netertain

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

enetrtain2enntertain1enteratin2enterrtain1entertainn1entertani2entertian2enterttain1
Edit distance from "entertain"

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 "entertain"?
"entertain" is spelled E-N-T-E-R-T-A-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɛntəˈteɪn/.
What does "entertain" mean?
As a verb, "entertain" means: to amuse (someone); to engage the attention of agreeably
What words are commonly confused with "entertain"?
"entertain" is commonly confused with "entertained", "entertainer". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "entertain"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "entertain" is /ˌɛntəˈteɪn/. 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 "entertain"?
From Middle English entertenen, from Middle French entretenir, from Old French entretenir, from entre (“among”) + tenir (“to hold”), from Latin inter + teneō (“hold, keep”). For the noun, compare French entretien. Sense of answering a phone call i... 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 “entertain”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is E-N-T-E-R-T-A-I-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌɛntəˈteɪn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “entertained” - see the side-by-side comparison. entertain vs entertained
  • 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