entertain
en·ter·tain/ˌɛntɚˈteɪn/verb
entertain is spelled E-N-T-E-R-T-A-I-N: 9 letters and 3 syllables (en·ter·tain). It appears 6.8 times per million words in written English, the 9,165th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, entertain means “To amuse (someone); to engage the attention of agreeably” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in entertain?
| Letters | 9: E-N-T-E-R-T-A-I-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3: en·ter·tain |
| In writing | 6.8 times per million words; the 9,165th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with | |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is entertain?
Entertain appears 6.8 times per million words in written English, the 9,165th 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 entertain?
- UK /ˌɛntəˈteɪn/
- US /ˌɛntɚˈteɪn/
- US [ˌɛ̃ɾ̃ɚˈtʰeɪn]
Entertain has 3 syllables, split en·ter·tain in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-entertain.ogg, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Simplificationalizer-entertain.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with entertain?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as entertain from its last stressed vowel (/eɪn/):
Spelled with the same letters in another order: tannerite.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of entertain
- entertains present, singular, he/she/it
- entertaining participle, present
- entertained participle, past
- entertaine
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does entertain mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To amuse (someone); to engage the attention of agreeably.
to entertain friends with lively conversation
- 2
To have someone over at one's home, or some other venue, for a party or visit.
They enjoy entertaining a lot.
- 3
To receive and take into consideration; to have a thought in mind.
The committee would like to entertain the idea of reducing the budget figures.
- 4
obsoleteTo take or keep in one's service; to maintain; to support; to harbour; to keep.
- 5
obsoleteTo meet or encounter, as an enemy.
- 6
obsoleteTo lead on; to bring along; to introduce.
- 7
IndiaTo help; to assist; to answer a phone call.
noun
- 1
obsoleteEntertainment; pleasure.
- 2
obsoleteReception of a guest; welcome.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Entertain in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | divertir , recevoir |
| German | unterhalten |
| Portuguese | divertir, entreter |
| Spanish | divertir, entretener, bayear |
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 entertain come from?
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”.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).