remnant

/ˈɹɛmnənt/

//ˈɹɛmnənt// noun

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

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

The verdict

“remnant” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #19,681 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#19,681
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A small portion remaining of a larger thing or group; part of a former whole.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

remnant vs resonant
75% similar
remnant vs remand
71% similar
remnant vs rampant
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for remnant
PropertyValue
Headwordremnant
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɹɛmnənt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#19,681
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “remnant” 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). remnant lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for remnant is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɹɛmnənt/. Corpus data places it at rank #19,681 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for remnant, with forms such as "ermnant", "remannt", and "remmnant". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "resonant", "remand", "rampant", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English, contraction of remenant, from Anglo-Norman remanant, present participle of remaindre, from Latin remaneō. The correct English form is remnant, spelled R-E-M-N-A-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A small portion remaining of a larger thing or group; part of a former whole.
  2. 2
    The remaining fabric at the end of the bolt.
  3. 3
    An unsold end of piece goods, as cloth, ribbons, carpets, etc.
  4. 4
    The passionate, influential minority of radicals in a faction or party.

Etymology

From Middle English, contraction of remenant, from Anglo-Norman remanant, present participle of remaindre, from Latin remaneō.

Synonyms

relicresidueremainderlaveremains

This word in other languages

resto(Español)reste(Français)Rest(Deutsch)resto(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ermnant,remannt,remmnant,remnannt,remnantt,remnatn,remnnant,remnnat,renmant,rmenant,rremnant

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of remnant - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ermnant2remannt2remmnant1remnannt1remnantt1remnatn2remnnant1remnnat2
Edit distance from "remnant"

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 "remnant"?
"remnant" is spelled R-E-M-N-A-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹɛmnənt/.
What does "remnant" mean?
As a noun, "remnant" means: A small portion remaining of a larger thing or group; part of a former whole.
What words are commonly confused with "remnant"?
"remnant" is commonly confused with "resonant", "remand", "rampant". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "remnant"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "remnant" is /ˈɹɛmnənt/. 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 "remnant"?
From Middle English, contraction of remenant, from Anglo-Norman remanant, present participle of remaindre, from Latin remaneō. 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 “remnant”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-M-N-A-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɹɛmnənt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “resonant” - see the side-by-side comparison. remnant vs resonant
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
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