inconstant

adj

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

The verdict

“inconstant” is uncommon English (frequency #88,460 among 2,140 “I” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#88,460
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Not constant; wavering.

Corpus desk

Index EN-inconstant · inconstant · English

inconstant · rank #88,460 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #88,460
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH inconsiderable

Nearest frequency peer: inconsiderable (-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.

Frequency neighbourhood for “inconstant”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “inconstant” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for inconstant
PropertyValue
Headwordinconstant
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
Letters10
Frequency rank#88,460
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “inconstant” 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).inconstantlands 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 “inconsiderable” (#88,459), “incorporeal” (#88,461), “inchoate” (#88,458). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

inconstant is uncommon English at frequency #88,460 among 2,140 “I” headwords, classed as anadjective. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

inconstant doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English inconstant, inconstante, inconstaunte, from Middle French inconstant and its etymon, Latin incōnstāns. The correct English form is inconstant, spelled I-N-C-O-N-S-T-A-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Not constant; wavering.
  2. 2
    Unfaithful to a lover.

Etymology

From Middle English inconstant, inconstante, inconstaunte, from Middle French inconstant and its etymon, Latin incōnstāns.

This word in other languages

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 "inconstant"?
"inconstant" is spelled I-N-C-O-N-S-T-A-N-T.
What does "inconstant" mean?
As an adjective, "inconstant" means: Not constant; wavering.
What is the origin of the word "inconstant"?
From Middle English inconstant, inconstante, inconstaunte, from Middle French inconstant and its etymon, Latin incōnstāns. 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 "inconstant", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

What to do next

You've looked up "inconstant". Here's where to go from here.

  • Usage frequency rank #88,460 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "I" letter cohort. I–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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