# fester

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈfɛstə(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #38,838

## Definitions
1. A fistula.
2. A sore or an ulcer of the skin.
3. The condition of something that festers; a festering; a festerment.

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English festre, festur, borrowed from Old French festre (cognate with Italian fistola, Occitan fistola, Spanish fístula), from Latin fistula. The verb is derived from the noun, while the “condition of something that festers” noun sense is derived from the verb. Doublet of fistula.

## Easily confused with
- **fete** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fester-vs-fete)
- **fewer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fester-vs-fewer)
- **fever** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fester-vs-fever)
- **foster** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fester-vs-foster)
- **filter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fester-vs-filter)
- **fisher** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fester-vs-fisher)
- **footer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fester-vs-footer)
- **fitter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fester-vs-fitter)
- **fisted** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fester-vs-fisted)
- **Forster** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fester-vs-forster)
- **fresher** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fester-vs-fresher)
- **forester** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fester-vs-forester)
- **fest** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fest-vs-fester)
- **faster** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/faster-vs-fester)
- **feeder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/feeder-vs-fester)
- **fender** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fender-vs-fester)
- **fatter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fatter-vs-fester)
- **fasten** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fasten-vs-fester)
- **falter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/falter-vs-fester)
- **feller** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/feller-vs-fester)

## Common misspellings (9)
`efster`, `fesetr`, `fesster`, `festerr`, `festre`, `festter`, `fetser`, `ffester`, `fseter`

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