providence
pro·vid·ence/ˈpɹɑvɪdəns/noun
providence is spelled P-R-O-V-I-D-E-N-C-E: 10 letters and 3 syllables (pro·vid·ence). It appears 6.3 times per million words in written English, the 9,594th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, providence means “The careful governance and guidance of God (or another deity, nature, etc.)” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of providence is providences.
How many letters and syllables are in providence?
| Letters | 10: P-R-O-V-I-D-E-N-C-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3: pro·vid·ence |
| In writing | 6.3 times per million words; the 9,594th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is providence?
Providence appears 6.3 times per million words in written English, the 9,594th 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 providence?
- UK /ˈpɹɒvɪdəns/
- US /ˈpɹɑvɪdəns/
Providence has 3 syllables, split pro·vid·ence in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-providence.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of providence
- providences plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does providence mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
archaicPreparation for the future; good governance; foresight.
- 2
The careful governance and guidance of God (or another deity, nature, etc.).
- 3
A manifestation of divine care or direction; an instance of divine intervention.
- 4
Specifically, the prudent care and management of resources; thriftiness, frugality.
His providence in saving for his old age is exemplary.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Providence in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| German | Vorsorge, Umsicht , Vorsehung , Fügung |
| Portuguese | providência |
| Spanish | providencia |
| French | providence |
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 providence come from?
From Middle English providence, from Anglo-Norman providence, Middle French providence, and their source, Latin prōvidentia (“providence, foresight”), from the present participle of prōvidēre (“to provide”). By surface analysis, provide + -ence. Displaced native Old English foresċēawung.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).