fervent

/ˈfɝ.vənt/

//ˈfɝ.vənt// adj

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

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

The verdict

“fervent” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #27,459. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#27,459
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords
11
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Exhibiting particular enthusiasm, zeal, conviction, persistence, and/or belief.

Corpus desk

Index EN-fervent · fervent · English

fervent · rank #27,459 · 11 variants · 3 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #27,459
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 3 pairs
  • VAR-MID 11 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH FEMA

Nearest frequency peer: FEMA (-1 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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “fervent”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “fervent” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

fervent vs fervently
78% similar
fervent vs ferret
71% similar
fervent vs ferment
86% similar

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

Key facts for fervent
PropertyValue
Headwordfervent
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈfɝ.vənt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#27,459
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “fervent”

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

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “FEMA” (#27,458), “federalist” (#27,457), “fisk” (#27,461). Among 2,507 “F” headwords, “fervent” is #27,459. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around fervent (IPA /ˈfɝ.vənt/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #27,459 among 2,507 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for fervent, with forms such as "efrvent", "ferevnt", and "ferrvent". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "fervently", "ferret", "ferment", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English fervent, from Old French fervent, from Latin fervens, ferventem, present participle of fervere (“to boil, ferment, glow, rage”). The correct English form is fervent, spelled F-E-R-V-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Exhibiting particular enthusiasm, zeal, conviction, persistence, and/or belief.
  2. 2
    Having or showing emotional warmth, fervor, and/or passion.
  3. 3
    Glowing, burning, very hot.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. As I returned my fervent hopes were dashed by so many fears.
  2. President Joe Biden issued a fervent appeal Thursday for stricter gun laws – including a ban on assault weapons, tougher background check laws and a higher minimum age of purchase – as a spate of gun massacres have left the nation shaken and prompted new discussions on Capitol Hill about how to prevent them.

Etymology

From Middle English fervent, from Old French fervent, from Latin fervens, ferventem, present participle of fervere (“to boil, ferment, glow, rage”).

This word in other languages

ferviente(Español)fervent(Français)inbrünstig(Deutsch)fervoroso(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • efrvent
  • ferevnt
  • ferrvent
  • fervennt
  • ferventt
  • fervetn
  • fervnet
  • fervvent
  • fevrent
  • ffervent
  • frevent

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of fervent - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

efrvent2ferevnt2ferrvent1fervennt1ferventt1fervetn2fervnet2fervvent1
Edit distance from "fervent"

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 "fervent"?
"fervent" is spelled F-E-R-V-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfɝ.vənt/.
What does "fervent" mean?
As an adjective, "fervent" means: Exhibiting particular enthusiasm, zeal, conviction, persistence, and/or belief.
What words are commonly confused with "fervent"?
"fervent" is commonly confused with "fervently", "ferret", "ferment". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "fervent"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "fervent" is /ˈfɝ.vənt/. 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 "fervent"?
From Middle English fervent, from Old French fervent, from Latin fervens, ferventem, present participle of fervere (“to boil, ferment, glow, rage”). 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 "fervent", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

evasive#27,452forgave#27,466forties#27,467garnish#27,472

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (11 here; floor ≥5).

glances11 variantsHershey11 variantscauseway11 variantsjackman11 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list