eternal
e·ter·nal/ɪˈtɝ.nl̩/adjective, noun
eternal is spelled E-T-E-R-N-A-L: 7 letters and 3 syllables (e·ter·nal). It appears 13 times per million words in written English, the 5,957th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, eternal means “Lasting forever; unending” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in eternal?
| Letters | 7: E-T-E-R-N-A-L |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3: e·ter·nal |
| In writing | 13 times per million words; the 5,957th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
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 eternal?
Eternal appears 13 times per million words in written English, the 5,957th 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 eternal?
- UK /ɪˈtɜː.nl̩/
- US /ɪˈtɝ.nl̩/
- US /iˈtɝ.nl̩/
Eternal has 3 syllables, split e·ter·nal in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-eternal.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with eternal?
One word on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as eternal from its last stressed vowel (/ɜɹnl/):
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 eternal
- more eternal comparative
- most eternal superlative
- eternals plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does eternal mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Lasting forever; unending.
- 2
Existing outside time; as opposed to sempiternal, existing within time but everlastingly.
- 3
Constant; perpetual; ceaseless; ever-present.
- 4
datedExceedingly great or bad; used as an intensifier.
some eternal villain
noun
- 1
One who lives forever; an immortal.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Eternal in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense lasting forever:
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 eternal come from?
From Middle English eternal, from Old French eternal, from Late Latin aeternālis, from Latin aeternus (“eternal”), from aevum (“age”). Displaced native Old English ēċe.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).