perpetuity
/ˌpɝpəˈtuːɪti/noun
perpetuity is spelled P-E-R-P-E-T-U-I-T-Y: 10 letters and 5 syllables. It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 32,798th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, perpetuity means “The quality or state of being perpetual; endless duration; uninterrupted existence” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of perpetuity is perpetuities.
How many letters and syllables are in perpetuity?
| Letters | 10: P-E-R-P-E-T-U-I-T-Y |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 5 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 1 million words; the 32,798th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
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); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is perpetuity?
Perpetuity appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 32,798th 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 perpetuity?
- UK /ˌpɜː(ɹ)pɪˈtjuːɪti/
- US /ˌpɝpəˈtuːɪti/
Perpetuity has 5 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-perpetuity.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with perpetuity?
5 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as perpetuity from its last stressed vowel (/uɪti/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of perpetuity
- perpetuities plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does perpetuity mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
The quality or state of being perpetual; endless duration; uninterrupted existence.
- 2
Something that is perpetual.
- 3
A limitation intended to be unalterable and of indefinite duration; a disposition of property which attempts to make it inalienable beyond certain limits fixed or conceived as being fixed by the general law.
- 4
An annuity in which the periodic payments begin on a fixed date and continue indefinitely.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Perpetuity in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense the quality or state of being perpetual:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | perpétuité |
| Portuguese | perpetuidade |
| Spanish | perpetuidad |
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 perpetuity come from?
From Middle English perpetuitee, perpetuite, perpetuyte, from Old French perpetüité, ultimately from Latin perpetuitās.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).