inconstant

adj

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

The verdict

“inconstant” is an uncommon English word, ranked #88,460 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#88,460
frequency rank, English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Not constant; wavering.

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). inconstant 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 inconstant is 10 letters long, classified as an adjective. Corpus data places it at rank #88,460 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

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.

Using “inconstant”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-C-O-N-S-T-A-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • 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