fatten

/ˈfætən/

//ˈfætən// verb

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

"fatten" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“fatten” is uncommon English (frequency #52,941 among 2,507 “F” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#52,941
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To cause (a person or animal) to be fat or fatter.

Corpus desk

Index EN-fatten · fatten · English

fatten · rank #52,941 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #52,941
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH expository

Nearest frequency peer: expository (-3 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “fatten”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “fatten” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for fatten
PropertyValue
Headwordfatten
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈfætən/
Letters6
Frequency rank#52,941
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “fatten” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).fattenfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “expository” (#52,938), “ewes” (#52,936), “Evander” (#52,935). Among 2,507 “F” headwords, “fatten” is #52,941. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

fatten is uncommon English at frequency #52,941 among 2,507 “F” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈfætən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 6 senses are on record.

fatten doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From fat + -en. The correct English form is fatten, spelled F-A-T-T-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To cause (a person or animal) to be fat or fatter.
  2. 2
    To become fat or fatter.
  3. 3
    To make thick or thicker (often something containing paper, especially money).
  4. 4
    To become thick or thicker.
  5. 5
    To make (soil) fertile and fruitful.
  6. 6
    To become fertile and fruitful.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how fatten appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. We must fatten the turkey in time for Thanksgiving.
  2. And if the mat[t]er be too little, the vertue of digestion fayleth, and the bodye is dryed, and if the matter and meate be moderate, the meats is well digested, and the bodye fattened, the heart comforted, kinde heate made more, the humors made temperate, & wit made cleere:

Etymology

From fat + -en.

This word in other languages

engordar(Español)engraisser(Français)mästen(Deutsch)engordar(Português)

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 "fatten"?
"fatten" is spelled F-A-T-T-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfætən/.
What does "fatten" mean?
As a verb, "fatten" means: To cause (a person or animal) to be fat or fatter.
How do you pronounce "fatten"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "fatten" is /ˈfætən/. 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 "fatten"?
From fat + -en. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "fatten", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

fizzle#52,947errata#52,932Egbert#52,917Gorton#52,968

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list