fractious

/ˈfɹæk.ʃəs/

//ˈfɹæk.ʃəs// adj

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

"fractious" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“fractious” is uncommon English (frequency #63,628 among 2,507 “F” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#63,628
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Given to troublemaking.

Corpus desk

Index EN-fractious · fractious · English

fractious · rank #63,628 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #63,628
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH fossiliferous

Nearest frequency peer: fossiliferous (-1 rank slots)

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.

Long-tail ranks near “fractious”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “fractious” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for fractious
PropertyValue
Headwordfractious
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈfɹæk.ʃəs/
Letters9
Frequency rank#63,628
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “fractious” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).fractiousfalls in this rarity band:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “fossiliferous” (#63,627), “fortieth” (#63,626), “Freitas” (#63,631). Among 2,507 “F” headwords, “fractious” is #63,628. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

fractious is uncommon English at frequency #63,628 among 2,507 “F” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈfɹæk.ʃəs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for fractious in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From fraction (“discord”) (now obsolete) + -ous. The correct English form is fractious, spelled F-R-A-C-T-I-O-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Given to troublemaking.
  2. 2
    Irritable; argumentative; quarrelsome.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how fractious appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. 1835 James Kirke Paulding: The Diverting History of John Bull and Brother Jonathan Now when the fractious little Beau Napperty heard that Bull had sent over his tenantry to commit trespass upon his marshes, he fell into one of the greatest passions ever known, and swore that Parson Fred should rue the hour he came over into his pastures.
  2. 1841 Western Farmer and Gardener, Devoted to Agriculture, Horticulture, and Rural Economy. Ed. Thomas Affleck. vol. II. Oct. 1840 to Sept. 1841. Fractious boys should be taught to govern their own tempers before they have the full control of oxen; and fractious men should remember that he who controls his own spirit is mightier than many who govern whole…

Etymology

From fraction (“discord”) (now obsolete) + -ous.

This word in other languages

quisquilloso(Español)hargneux(Français)aufsässig(Deutsch)

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 "fractious"?
"fractious" is spelled F-R-A-C-T-I-O-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfɹæk.ʃəs/.
What does "fractious" mean?
As an adjective, "fractious" means: Given to troublemaking.
How do you pronounce "fractious"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "fractious" is /ˈfɹæk.ʃəs/. 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 "fractious"?
From fraction (“discord”) (now obsolete) + -ous. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "fractious", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Farrakhan#63,613effectual#63,585denatured#63,555indelibly#63,703

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list