fondant

/ˈfɒndənt/

//ˈfɒndənt// noun

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

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

The verdict

“fondant” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #48,752 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#48,752
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A flavored, creamy sugar preparation, used for icing cakes or as a base for candies.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

fondant vs Fontana
57% similar
fondant vs fonda
71% similar

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

Key facts for fondant
PropertyValue
Headwordfondant
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈfɒndənt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#48,752
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “fondant” 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). fondant 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 fondant is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈfɒndənt/. Corpus data places it at rank #48,752 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for fondant, with forms such as "ffondant", "fnodant", and "fodnant". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "Fontana", "fonda", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: 19th century. Unadapted borrowing from French fondant (“melting”), from fondre (“to melt”), from Latin fundere (“to melt”). The correct English form is fondant, spelled F-O-N-D-A-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A flavored, creamy sugar preparation, used for icing cakes or as a base for candies.
  2. 2
    A candy or cake filled with such a preparation.
  3. 3
    A sugar dough, usually prepared as large sheets (rolled fondant), used in place of icing to cover large areas of cakes, composed of sugar, water, gelatin, glycerine.
  4. 4
    Fondue.
  5. 5
    The base or flux, in enamel, which is colored throughout by metallic oxide while in a state of fusion.
  6. 6
    Facial makeup (cosmetics), when used excessively.

Etymology

19th century. Unadapted borrowing from French fondant (“melting”), from fondre (“to melt”), from Latin fundere (“to melt”).

This word in other languages

Fondant(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ffondant,fnodant,fodnant,fonadnt,fondannt,fondantt,fondatn,fonddant,fondnat,fonndant,ofndant

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of fondant - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ffondant1fnodant2fodnant2fonadnt2fondannt1fondantt1fondatn2fonddant1
Edit distance from "fondant"

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 "fondant"?
"fondant" is spelled F-O-N-D-A-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfɒndənt/.
What does "fondant" mean?
As a noun, "fondant" means: A flavored, creamy sugar preparation, used for icing cakes or as a base for candies.
What words are commonly confused with "fondant"?
"fondant" is commonly confused with "Fontana", "fonda". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "fondant"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "fondant" is /ˈfɒndənt/. 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 "fondant"?
19th century. Unadapted borrowing from French fondant (“melting”), from fondre (“to melt”), from Latin fundere (“to melt”). 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 “fondant”

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

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