# ferment

> English word · Verb · IPA /fəˈmɛnt/ · frequency rank #34,887

## Definitions
1. To react, using fermentation; especially to produce alcohol by aging or by allowing yeast to act on sugars; to brew.
2. To stir up, agitate, cause unrest or excitement in.

## Etymology
From Middle English ferment, from Middle French ferment, from Latin fermentāre (“to leaven, ferment”), from fermentum (“substance causing fermentation”), from fervēre (“to boil, seethe”). See also fervent.

## Easily confused with
- **ferret** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ferment-vs-ferret)
- **fervent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ferment-vs-fervent)
- **figment** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ferment-vs-figment)
- **fermented** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ferment-vs-fermented)

## Common misspellings (11)
`efrment`, `femrent`, `feremnt`, `fermennt`, `fermentt`, `fermetn`, `fermment`, `fermnet`, `ferrment`, `fferment`, `frement`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ferment