foreground

/ˈfɔː(ɹ)ˌɡɹaʊnd/

//ˈfɔː(ɹ)ˌɡɹaʊnd// noun

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

"foreground" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“foreground” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #20,640. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#20,640
frequency rank, English
18,613
“F” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The elements of an image which lie closest to the picture plane.

Key facts for foreground
PropertyValue
Headwordforeground
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈfɔː(ɹ)ˌɡɹaʊnd/
Letters10
Frequency rank#20,640
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “foreground” 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). foreground lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around foreground (IPA /ˈfɔː(ɹ)ˌɡɹaʊnd/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #20,640 among 18,613 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for foreground, with forms such as "fforeground", "foerground", and "foregground". 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 is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From fore- + ground. Compare Dutch voorgrond (“foreground”), German Vordergrund (“foreground”), Danish forgrund (“foreground”), Swedish förgrund (“foreground”), Norwegian forgrunn (“foreground”), Icelandic forgrunni (“foreground”). The correct English form is foreground, spelled F-O-R-E-G-R-O-U-N-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    The elements of an image which lie closest to the picture plane.
  2. 2
    The subject of an image, often depicted at the bottom in a two-dimensional work.
  3. 3
    The application the user is currently interacting with; the application window that appears in front of all others.

Etymology

From fore- + ground. Compare Dutch voorgrond (“foreground”), German Vordergrund (“foreground”), Danish forgrund (“foreground”), Swedish förgrund (“foreground”), Norwegian forgrunn (“foreground”), Icelandic forgrunni (“foreground”).

This word in other languages

premier plan(Français)Vordergrund(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: fforeground,foerground,foregground,foregorund,foregronud,foregroudn,foregroundd,foregrounnd,foregrround,foregruond,forergound,forgeround,forreground,froeground,ofreground

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

fforeground1foerground2foregground1foregorund2foregronud2foregroudn2foregroundd1foregrounnd1
Edit distance from "foreground"

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 "foreground"?
"foreground" is spelled F-O-R-E-G-R-O-U-N-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfɔː(ɹ)ˌɡɹaʊnd/.
What does "foreground" mean?
As a noun, "foreground" means: The elements of an image which lie closest to the picture plane.
What are common misspellings of "foreground"?
Common misspellings include "fforeground", "foerground", "foregground", "foregorund", "foregronud". The correct spelling is "foreground".
How do you pronounce "foreground"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "foreground" is /ˈfɔː(ɹ)ˌɡɹaʊnd/. 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 "foreground"?
From fore- + ground. Compare Dutch voorgrond (“foreground”), German Vordergrund (“foreground”), Danish forgrund (“foreground”), Swedish förgrund (“foreground”), Norwegian forgrunn (“foreground”), Icelandic forgrunni (“foreground”). 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 “foreground”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is F-O-R-E-G-R-O-U-N-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈfɔː(ɹ)ˌɡɹaʊnd/ (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

Same frequency band

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