firmament
fir·ma·ment/ˈfɝməmənt/noun
firmament is spelled F-I-R-M-A-M-E-N-T: 9 letters and 3 syllables (fir·ma·ment). It appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 48,775th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, firmament means “The vault of the heavens, where the clouds, sun, moon, and stars can be seen; the heavens, the sky” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of firmament is firmaments.
How many letters and syllables are in firmament?
| Letters | 9: F-I-R-M-A-M-E-N-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3: fir·ma·ment |
| In writing | about once in every 3 million words; the 48,775th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is firmament?
Firmament appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 48,775th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce firmament?
- UK /ˈfɜːməm(ə)nt/
- US /ˈfɝməmənt/
Firmament has 3 syllables, split fir·ma·ment in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-firmament.mp3, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of firmament
- firmaments plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does firmament mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
The vault of the heavens, where the clouds, sun, moon, and stars can be seen; the heavens, the sky.
- 2
The field or sphere of an activity or interest.
the international fashion firmament
- 3
In the geocentric Ptolemaic system, the eighth celestial sphere which carried the fixed stars; (countable, by extension) any celestial sphere.
- 4
The abode of God and the angels; heaven.
- 5
obsoleteA piece of jewellery worn in a headdress with numerous gems resembling stars in the sky.
- 6
obsoleteA basis or foundation; a support.
- 7
obsoleteThe act or process of making firm or strengthening.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Firmament in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense vault of the heavens – see also heavens, sky:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | firmament |
| German | Firmament, Feste |
| Portuguese | firmamento, alturas |
| Spanish | firmamento |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does firmament come from?
From Middle English firmament, furmament (“heaven; sky”), from Old French firmament (“firmament”), or from its etymon Latin firmāmentum (“support; sky”), from firmāre (“to strengthen”) + -mentum (suffix indicating an instrument or medium, or the result of an action). Firmāre is the present active infinitive of firmō (“to make firm, strengthen”), from firmus (“firm, strong, stable”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- (“to hold; to support”). The Latin word was used in the Vulgate version of the Bible to translate the Ancient Greek στερέωμα (steréōma, “foundation, framework; firmament”)
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).