facet

/ˈfæs.ɪt/

//ˈfæs.ɪt// noun

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

"facet" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“facet” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #22,965 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#22,965
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Any one of the flat surfaces cut into a gem.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

facet vs fat
60% similar
facet vs fae
60% similar
facet vs FET
0% similar

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

Key facts for facet
PropertyValue
Headwordfacet
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈfæs.ɪt/
Letters5
Frequency rank#22,965
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “facet” 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). facet 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 facet is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈfæs.ɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #22,965 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for facet, with forms such as "afcet", "faccet", and "facett". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "fat", "fae", "FET", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French facette. The correct English form is facet, spelled F-A-C-E-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Any one of the flat surfaces cut into a gem.
  2. 2
    One among many similar or related, yet still distinct things.
  3. 3
    One of a series of things, such as steps in a project.
  4. 4
    One member of a compound eye, as found in insects and crustaceans.
  5. 5
    A smooth circumscribed surface.
  6. 6
    Any of the small joints at each segment of the spine that provide stability and help guide motion
  7. 7
    The narrow plane surface between flutings of a column; a fillet.
  8. 8
    A face of codimension 1 of a polytope.
  9. 9
    A criterion that can be used to sort and filter, such as the colour or size of products in an online store.

Etymology

Borrowed from French facette.

This word in other languages

faceta(Español)facette(Français)Facette(Deutsch)faceta(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: afcet,faccet,facett,facte,faect,fcaet,ffacet

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

afcet2faccet1facett1facte2faect2fcaet2ffacet1
Edit distance from "facet"

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 "facet"?
"facet" is spelled F-A-C-E-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfæs.ɪt/.
What does "facet" mean?
As a noun, "facet" means: Any one of the flat surfaces cut into a gem.
What words are commonly confused with "facet"?
"facet" is commonly confused with "fat", "fae", "FET". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "facet"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "facet" is /ˈfæs.ɪt/. 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 "facet"?
Borrowed from French facette. 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 “facet”

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

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