pendent

/ˈpɛndənt/

//ˈpɛndənt// adj

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

"pendent" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“pendent” is uncommon English (frequency #87,664 among 46,516 “P” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#87,664
frequency rank, English
46,516
“P” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Dangling, drooping, hanging down or suspended.

Key facts for pendent
PropertyValue
Headwordpendent
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈpɛndənt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#87,664
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “pendent” 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). pendent 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

pendent is uncommon English at frequency #87,664 among 46,516 “P” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈpɛndənt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 6 senses are on record.

pendent has no tracked misspelling variants, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English pendaunt, Anglo-Norman pendaunt, pendant, respelled to reflect Latin pendēns, pendentis, present participle of pendere (“to hang, to be suspended”). Compare pendant, which retained the spelling. The correct English form is pendent, spelled P-E-N-D-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Dangling, drooping, hanging down or suspended.
  2. 2
    Pending (in various senses).
  3. 3
    Either hanging in some sense, or constructed of multiple elements such as the voussoirs of an arch or the pendentives of a dome, none of which can stand on its own, but which in combination are stable.
  4. 4
    Hanging or pointed downward; (of a crescent) with its horns pointing downward.
  5. 5
    Incomplete in some sense, such as lacking a finite verb.
  6. 6
    Projecting over something; overhanging.

Etymology

From Middle English pendaunt, Anglo-Norman pendaunt, pendant, respelled to reflect Latin pendēns, pendentis, present participle of pendere (“to hang, to be suspended”). Compare pendant, which retained the spelling.

This word in other languages

pendiente(Español)hängend(Deutsch)

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 "pendent"?
"pendent" is spelled P-E-N-D-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɛndənt/.
What does "pendent" mean?
As an adjective, "pendent" means: Dangling, drooping, hanging down or suspended.
How do you pronounce "pendent"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "pendent" is /ˈpɛndənt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "pendent"?
From Middle English pendaunt, Anglo-Norman pendaunt, pendant, respelled to reflect Latin pendēns, pendentis, present participle of pendere (“to hang, to be suspended”). Compare pendant, which retained the spelling. 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 “pendent”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-E-N-D-E-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpɛndənt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list