multifocal

adj

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

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

The verdict

“multifocal” is uncommon English (frequency #85,545 among 36,575 “M” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#85,545
frequency rank, English
36,575
“M” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Arising from or occurring in more than one focus or location.

Key facts for multifocal
PropertyValue
Headwordmultifocal
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
Letters10
Frequency rank#85,545
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “multifocal” 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). multifocal lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

multifocal is uncommon English at frequency #85,545 among 36,575 “M” headwords, classed as anadjective. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for multifocal, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From multi- + focal. The correct English form is multifocal, spelled M-U-L-T-I-F-O-C-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    Arising from or occurring in more than one focus or location.
  2. 2
    having several focusing areas that correct for both nearsightedness and farsightedness.

Etymology

From multi- + focal.

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 "multifocal"?
"multifocal" is spelled M-U-L-T-I-F-O-C-A-L.
What does "multifocal" mean?
As an adjective, "multifocal" means: Arising from or occurring in more than one focus or location.
What is the origin of the word "multifocal"?
From multi- + focal. 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 “multifocal”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is M-U-L-T-I-F-O-C-A-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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