frequent

/ˈfɹiː.kwənt/

//ˈfɹiː.kwənt// adj

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

"frequent" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“frequent” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,528 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#4,528
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Done or occurring often; common.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

frequent vs frequently
80% similar
frequent vs frequency
78% similar

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

Key facts for frequent
PropertyValue
Headwordfrequent
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈfɹiː.kwənt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#4,528
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “frequent” 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). frequent 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 frequent is 8 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈfɹiː.kwənt/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,528 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for frequent, with forms such as "ferquent", "ffrequent", and "freqeunt". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "frequently", "frequency", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French frequent, from Latin frequens (“crowded, crammed, frequent, repeated, etc.”), possibly from a Proto-Indo-European *bʰrekʷ- (“to cram together”). The correct English form is frequent, spelled F-R-E-Q-U-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Done or occurring often; common.
  2. 2
    Occurring at short intervals.
  3. 3
    Addicted to any course of conduct; inclined to indulge in any practice; habitual; persistent.
  4. 4
    Full; crowded; thronged.
  5. 5
    Often or commonly reported.

Etymology

From Old French frequent, from Latin frequens (“crowded, crammed, frequent, repeated, etc.”), possibly from a Proto-Indo-European *bʰrekʷ- (“to cram together”).

Synonyms

regularrecurringcontinualsteady

Antonyms

rareuncommon

This word in other languages

frecuente(Español)fréquent(Français)häufig(Deutsch)freqüente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ferquent,ffrequent,freqeunt,freqquent,frequennt,frequentt,frequetn,frequnet,freuqent,frqeuent,frrequent,rfequent

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of frequent - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ferquent2ffrequent1freqeunt2freqquent1frequennt1frequentt1frequetn2frequnet2
Edit distance from "frequent"

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 "frequent"?
"frequent" is spelled F-R-E-Q-U-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfɹiː.kwənt/.
What does "frequent" mean?
As an adjective, "frequent" means: Done or occurring often; common.
What words are commonly confused with "frequent"?
"frequent" is commonly confused with "frequently", "frequency". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "frequent"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "frequent" is /ˈfɹiː.kwənt/. 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 "frequent"?
From Old French frequent, from Latin frequens (“crowded, crammed, frequent, repeated, etc.”), possibly from a Proto-Indo-European *bʰrekʷ- (“to cram together”). 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 “frequent”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is F-R-E-Q-U-E-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈfɹiː.kwənt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “frequently” - see the side-by-side comparison. frequent vs frequently
  • 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