float

/fləʊt/

//fləʊt// verb

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

"float" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“float” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #7,793 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#7,793
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To be supported by a fluid of greater density (than the object).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

float vs foot
60% similar
float vs flow
60% similar
float vs fort
60% similar

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

Key facts for float
PropertyValue
Headwordfloat
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/fləʊt/
Letters5
Frequency rank#7,793
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “float” 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). float 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 float is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /fləʊt/. Corpus data places it at rank #7,793 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 25 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for float, with forms such as "ffloat", "flaot", and "flloat". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "foot", "flow", "fort", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English floten, from Old English flotian (“to float”), from Proto-West Germanic *flotōn, from Proto-Germanic *flutōną (“to float”), from Proto-Indo-European *plewd-, *plew- (“to float, swim, fly”). Compare flow, fleet. The correct English form is float, spelled F-L-O-A-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To be supported by a fluid of greater density (than the object).
  2. 2
    To be supported by a fluid of greater density (than the object).
  3. 3
    To cause something to be suspended in a fluid of greater density.
  4. 4
    To be capable of floating.
  5. 5
    To move in a particular direction with the liquid in which one is floating.
  6. 6
    To drift or wander aimlessly.
  7. 7
    To drift gently through the air.
  8. 8
    To cause to drift gently through the air, to waft.
  9. 9
    To move in a fluid manner.
  10. 10
    To circulate.
  11. 11
    To remain airborne, without touching down, for an excessive length of time during landing, due to excessive airspeed during the landing flare.
  12. 12
    Of an idea or scheme, to be viable.
  13. 13
    To propose (an idea) for consideration.
  14. 14
    To automatically adjust a parameter as related parameters change.
  15. 15
    To not be tied to a reference.
  16. 16
    To not be tied to a reference.
  17. 17
    To not be tied to a reference.
  18. 18
    To extend a short-term loan to.
  19. 19
    To issue or sell shares in a company (or units in a trust) to members of the public, followed by listing on a stock exchange.
  20. 20
    To spread plaster over (a surface), using the tool called a float.
  21. 21
    To use a float (rasp-like tool) upon.
  22. 22
    To transport by float (vehicular trailer).
  23. 23
    To perform a float.
  24. 24
    To cause (an element within a document) to float above or beside others.
  25. 25
    To prepare a till (cash register) for operation, either by putting a float (cash amount) in the cash drawer to provide change for customers making cash payments or (by extension) by recording the time a till starts being used for card payments if it is card-only

Etymology

From Middle English floten, from Old English flotian (“to float”), from Proto-West Germanic *flotōn, from Proto-Germanic *flutōną (“to float”), from Proto-Indo-European *plewd-, *plew- (“to float, swim, fly”). Compare flow, fleet.

This word in other languages

flotar(Español)flotter(Français)treiben(Deutsch)flutuar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ffloat,flaot,flloat,floatt,flota,folat,lfoat

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ffloat1flaot2flloat1floatt1flota2folat2lfoat2
Edit distance from "float"

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 "float"?
"float" is spelled F-L-O-A-T. The IPA pronunciation is /fləʊt/.
What does "float" mean?
As a verb, "float" means: To be supported by a fluid of greater density (than the object).
What words are commonly confused with "float"?
"float" is commonly confused with "foot", "flow", "fort". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "float"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "float" is /fləʊt/. 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 "float"?
From Middle English floten, from Old English flotian (“to float”), from Proto-West Germanic *flotōn, from Proto-Germanic *flutōną (“to float”), from Proto-Indo-European *plewd-, *plew- (“to float, swim, fly”). Compare flow, fleet. 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 “float”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is F-L-O-A-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /fləʊt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “foot” - see the side-by-side comparison. float vs foot
  • 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