incontinent
/ɪŋˈkɒntɪnənt/adjective
incontinent is spelled I-N-C-O-N-T-I-N-E-N-T: 11 letters and 4 syllables. It appears about once in every 4 million words in written English, the 61,481st most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, incontinent means “Unable to contain or retain” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in incontinent?
| Letters | 11: I-N-C-O-N-T-I-N-E-N-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 4 million words; the 61,481st most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
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).
How common is incontinent?
Incontinent appears about once in every 4 million words in written English, the 61,481st 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 incontinent?
- /ɪŋˈkɒntɪnənt/
Incontinent 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-incontinent.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of incontinent
- more incontinent comparative
- most incontinent superlative
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does incontinent mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Unable to contain or retain.
- 2
Plagued by incontinence; unable to retain natural discharges or evacuations, most commonly of urine or feces.
- 3
Lacking moral or sexual restraint, moderation or self-control, especially of sexual desire.
- 4
Unrestrained or unceasing.
an incontinent river of pure water
- 5
colloquialImmediate; without delay.
adverb
- 1
obsoleteImmediately, forthwith.
noun
- 1
obsoleteOne who is unchaste.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Incontinent in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense unable to contain or retain:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | incontinent |
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 incontinent come from?
From Middle English incontinent, from Old French incontinent, from Latin incontinens, from in + continens.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).