force majeure
/ˌfɔːs mæˈʒɜː/
"force-majeure" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“force majeure” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 13
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An overwhelming force.
| 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) |
Where “force majeure” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for force majeure is 13 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌfɔːs mæˈʒɜː/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “force majeure”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is F-O-R-C-E- -M-A-J-E-U-R-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˌfɔːs mæˈʒɜː/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- 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.