force majeure
/ˌfɔːs mæˈʒɜː/
"force-majeure" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“force majeure” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 13
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An overwhelming force.
Corpus desk
Index EN-force-majeure · force majeure · English
force majeure · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables
- FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
- LEN-MEGA 13 letters
- VOW-6 6 vowels
- CONFUS-0 No pairs
- VAR-0 0 variants
- BOOK-THIN "F" thin
- PHOTO-UNK Peer pending
Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern
Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | force majeure |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˌfɔːs mæˈʒɜː/ |
| Letters | 13 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Long-tail rank of “force majeure” in English
Rare enough to double-check
force majeure is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌfɔːs mæˈʒɜː/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.
No generated misspelling entries exist for force majeure in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: PIE word *méǵh₂s Borrowed from French force majeure (“exceptionally strong or superior force; (law) unavoidable circumstance that prevents someone from fulfilling a legal obligation”), from force (“force”) (ultimately from Latin fortis (“powerful, strong”)… The correct English form is force majeure, spelled F-O-R-C-E- -M-A-J-E-U-R-E.
Definition
- 1An overwhelming force.
- 2An unavoidable circumstance, especially one that prevents someone from fulfilling a legal (usually contractual) obligation.
Recorded use
Wiktionary examplesThese source excerpts show how force majeure appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.
They [children] realize their oughts no less sharply than their crosses; and this even though they are midgets in a land of giants who have forgotten much of their language and whose right is often founded solely on force majeure.
Gen Y is a "force majeure" that will determine the future of the housing market. They are looking for housing solutions that cater to their mobile- and technology-focused lifestyles.
Etymology
PIE word *méǵh₂s Borrowed from French force majeure (“exceptionally strong or superior force; (law) unavoidable circumstance that prevents someone from fulfilling a legal obligation”), from force (“force”) (ultimately from Latin fortis (“powerful, strong”)) + majeure (the feminine singular of majeur (“of great importance, major”), ultimately from Latin maior (“greater; large”),).
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.