firm

/fɜɹm/

//fɜɹm// noun

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

"firm" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“firm” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,693 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,693
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A business partnership; the name under which it trades.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

firm vs FM
0% similar
firm vs for
50% similar
firm vs fit
50% similar

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

Key facts for firm
PropertyValue
Headwordfirm
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/fɜɹm/
Letters4
Frequency rank#1,693
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “firm” sits in English frequency

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for firm is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /fɜɹm/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,693 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for firm, with forms such as "ffirm", "fimr", and "firmm". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "FM", "for", "fit", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Italian firma (“signature”), from firmare (“to sign”), from Latin firmāre (“to make firm, to confirm (by signature)”), from firmus (“firm, stable”). The contemporary sense developed in the 18th century simultaneously with German Firma (“business, name … The correct English form is firm, spelled F-I-R-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    A business partnership; the name under which it trades.
  2. 2
    A business enterprise, however organized.
  3. 3
    A criminal gang, especially based around football hooliganism.

Etymology

From Italian firma (“signature”), from firmare (“to sign”), from Latin firmāre (“to make firm, to confirm (by signature)”), from firmus (“firm, stable”). The contemporary sense developed in the 18th century simultaneously with German Firma (“business, name of business”). There are conflicting statements in the literature as to which of the two languages influenced which. Doublet of dharma and dhamma. Other cognates include Russian держать (deržatʹ, “to hold”).

This word in other languages

firma(Español)entreprise(Français)Firma(Deutsch)firma(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ffirm,fimr,firmm,firrm,frim,ifrm

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of firm - 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.

ffirm1fimr2firmm1firrm1frim2ifrm2
Edit distance from "firm"

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 "firm"?
"firm" is spelled F-I-R-M. The IPA pronunciation is /fɜɹm/.
What does "firm" mean?
As a noun, "firm" means: A business partnership; the name under which it trades.
What words are commonly confused with "firm"?
"firm" is commonly confused with "FM", "for", "fit". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "firm"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "firm" is /fɜɹm/. 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 "firm"?
From Italian firma (“signature”), from firmare (“to sign”), from Latin firmāre (“to make firm, to confirm (by signature)”), from firmus (“firm, stable”). The contemporary sense developed in the 18th century simultaneously with German Firma (“busin... 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.

Using “firm”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is F-I-R-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /fɜɹm/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “FM” - see the side-by-side comparison. firm vs FM
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list