permafrost

/ˈpɝməˌfɹɔst/

//ˈpɝməˌfɹɔst// noun

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

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

The verdict

“permafrost” has 16 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #37,623. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#37,623
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
16
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Permanently frozen ground, or a specific layer thereof.

Corpus desk

Index EN-permafrost · permafrost · English

permafrost · rank #37,623 · 16 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #37,623
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 16 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH parlance

Nearest frequency peer: parlance (-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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “permafrost”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “permafrost” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for permafrost
PropertyValue
Headwordpermafrost
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpɝməˌfɹɔst/
Letters10
Frequency rank#37,623
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “permafrost”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).permafrostlands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “parlance” (#37,622), “parkour” (#37,621), “persecute” (#37,625). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “permafrost” is #37,623. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 16 spelling variants around permafrost (IPA /ˈpɝməˌfɹɔst/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #37,623 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Dominant gloss: "Permanently frozen ground, or a specific layer thereof.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for permafrost, with forms such as "eprmafrost", "pemrafrost", and "peramfrost". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From perma- + frost. The correct English form is permafrost, spelled P-E-R-M-A-F-R-O-S-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Permanently frozen ground, or a specific layer thereof.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how permafrost appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Nevertheless, the water molecule is present, as ice, in a solid form in frozen soils or permafrosts, which cover large regions characterised by a polar climate.
  2. In agreement with our overall trends within the permafrost samples, lower nirK and nirS and higher nosZ diversity have been identified in cryoturbated peat vs. unturbated peat soils (Palmer and Horn, 2012 ).

Etymology

From perma- + frost.

This word in other languages

permafrost(Español)pergélisol(Français)Permafrostboden(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • eprmafrost
  • pemrafrost
  • peramfrost
  • permaffrost
  • permaforst
  • permafrosst
  • permafrostt
  • permafrots
  • permafrrost
  • permafrsot
  • permarfost
  • permfarost
  • permmafrost
  • perrmafrost
  • ppermafrost
  • premafrost

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of permafrost - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

eprmafrost2pemrafrost2peramfrost2permaffrost1permaforst2permafrosst1permafrostt1permafrots2
Edit distance from "permafrost"

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 "permafrost"?
"permafrost" is spelled P-E-R-M-A-F-R-O-S-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɝməˌfɹɔst/.
What does "permafrost" mean?
As a noun, "permafrost" means: Permanently frozen ground, or a specific layer thereof.
What are common misspellings of "permafrost"?
Common misspellings include "eprmafrost", "pemrafrost", "peramfrost", "permaffrost", "permaforst". The correct spelling is "permafrost".
How do you pronounce "permafrost"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "permafrost" is /ˈpɝməˌfɹɔst/. 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 "permafrost"?
From perma- + frost. 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 "permafrost", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

preeminent#37,633presbytery#37,636prioritise#37,640propelling#37,642

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (16 here; floor ≥5).

neoclassical16 variantsrepatriated16 variantsmatchmaker16 variantssubduction16 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list