imperfection
/ɪmpɚˈfɛkʃən/noun
imperfection is spelled I-M-P-E-R-F-E-C-T-I-O-N: 12 letters and 4 syllables. It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 36,565th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, imperfection means “Those qualities or features that are imperfect; the characteristic, state, or quality of being imperfect” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of imperfection is imperfections.
How many letters and syllables are in imperfection?
| Letters | 12: I-M-P-E-R-F-E-C-T-I-O-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 36,565th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is imperfection?
Imperfection appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 36,565th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce imperfection?
- US /ɪmpɚˈfɛkʃən/
Imperfection has 4 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-imperfection.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with imperfection?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as imperfection from its last stressed vowel (/ɛkʃən/):
- section
- direction
- detection
- perfection
- complexion
- deflection
- interconnection
- flexion
- interjection
- dejection
- circumspection
- bisection
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of imperfection
- imperfections plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does imperfection mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Those qualities or features that are imperfect; the characteristic, state, or quality of being imperfect.
You can accept your imperfection or try to improve.
- 2
Something that makes something else less than perfect; a blemish, impurity, error, etc.
He loves me despite my imperfections.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Imperfection in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense state of being imperfect:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| Portuguese | imperfeição |
| Spanish | imperfección |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does imperfection come from?
From Old French imperfeccion, from Latin imperfectiōnem, accusative of imperfectiō, from in- + perfectiō. By surface analysis, im- + perfection.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).