frivolous

/ˈfɹɪv.ə.ləs/

//ˈfɹɪv.ə.ləs// adj

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

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

The verdict

“frivolous” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #21,801. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#21,801
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Silly, especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner; lacking a good reason for being, or for doing what one does; due to or moved by a whim or caprice.

Corpus desk

Index EN-frivolous · frivolous · English

frivolous · rank #21,801 · 13 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #21,801
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH fruition

Nearest frequency peer: fruition (+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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “frivolous”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “frivolous” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for frivolous
PropertyValue
Headwordfrivolous
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈfɹɪv.ə.ləs/
Letters9
Frequency rank#21,801
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “frivolous”

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

#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. Same rarity band neighbours include “fruition” (#21,802), “fuji” (#21,803), “fishery” (#21,798). Among 2,507 “F” headwords, “frivolous” is #21,801. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around frivolous (IPA /ˈfɹɪv.ə.ləs/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #21,801 among 2,507 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for frivolous, with forms such as "ffrivolous", "firvolous", and "friovlous". 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. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin frīvolus (“silly, empty, trifling, frivolous, worthless”), with the ending modified to match -ous. The correct English form is frivolous, spelled F-R-I-V-O-L-O-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Silly, especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner; lacking a good reason for being, or for doing what one does; due to or moved by a whim or caprice.
  2. 2
    Of little weight or importance; not worth notice; slight; trivial.
  3. 3
    Having no reasonable prospect of success because its claim is without merit, lacking a supporting legal or factual basis, while the filing party is, or should be, aware of this.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. There is no easy definition for the phrase 'frivolous lawsuit,' but I imagine any claim for damages where the injuries are minimal or where the basis for the defendant's liability is hard to believe, might qualify as frivolous.
  2. One of the major cost drivers in the delivery of health care are these junk and frivolous lawsuits.

Etymology

From Latin frīvolus (“silly, empty, trifling, frivolous, worthless”), with the ending modified to match -ous.

This word in other languages

frívolo(Español)frivole(Français)albern(Deutsch)frívolo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ffrivolous
  • firvolous
  • friovlous
  • frivloous
  • frivollous
  • frivolosu
  • frivolouss
  • frivoluos
  • frivoolus
  • frivvolous
  • frrivolous
  • frviolous
  • rfivolous

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ffrivolous1firvolous2friovlous2frivloous2frivollous1frivolosu2frivolouss1frivoluos2
Edit distance from "frivolous"

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 "frivolous"?
"frivolous" is spelled F-R-I-V-O-L-O-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfɹɪv.ə.ləs/.
What does "frivolous" mean?
As an adjective, "frivolous" means: Silly, especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner; lacking a good reason for being, or for doing what one does; due to or moved by a whim or caprice.
What are common misspellings of "frivolous"?
Common misspellings include "ffrivolous", "firvolous", "friovlous", "frivloous", "frivollous". The correct spelling is "frivolous".
How do you pronounce "frivolous"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "frivolous" is /ˈfɹɪv.ə.ləs/. 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 "frivolous"?
From Latin frīvolus (“silly, empty, trifling, frivolous, worthless”), with the ending modified to match -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 "frivolous", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

erroneous#21,790grappling#21,813enlighten#21,787enactment#21,786

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

curvature13 variantscolouring13 variantsclientele13 variantscarbonate13 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list