fermata

/ˌfɜːˈmɑːtə/

//ˌfɜːˈmɑːtə// noun

"fermata" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“fermata” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The holding of a note or rest for longer than its usual duration.

Corpus desk

Index EN-fermata · fermata · English

fermata · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "F" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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.

Key facts for fermata
PropertyValue
Headwordfermata
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌfɜːˈmɑːtə/
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “fermata” in English

fermatasits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

fermata is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌfɜːˈmɑːtə/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for fermata, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Italian fermata, from fermare (“to stop”). The correct English form is fermata, spelled F-E-R-M-A-T-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    The holding of a note or rest for longer than its usual duration.
  2. 2
    The notation ⟨◌͒⟩ of such a prolongation, usually represented as a dot with a semi-circle above or below it, written above or below the prolonged note or rest.

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian fermata, from fermare (“to stop”).

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "fermata"?
"fermata" is spelled F-E-R-M-A-T-A. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌfɜːˈmɑːtə/.
What does "fermata" mean?
As a noun, "fermata" means: The holding of a note or rest for longer than its usual duration.
How do you pronounce "fermata"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "fermata" is /ˌfɜːˈmɑːtə/. 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 "fermata"?
Borrowed from Italian fermata, from fermare (“to stop”). 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list