reverence
rev·er·ence/ˈɹɛv.ə.ɹəns/noun, verb
reverence is spelled R-E-V-E-R-E-N-C-E: 9 letters and 3 syllables (rev·er·ence). It appears 1.7 times per million words in written English, the 21,798th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, reverence means “Veneration; profound awe and respect, normally in a sacred context” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of reverence is reverences.
How many letters and syllables are in reverence?
| Letters | 9: R-E-V-E-R-E-N-C-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3: rev·er·ence |
| In writing | 1.7 times per million words; the 21,798th 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 reverence?
Reverence appears 1.7 times per million words in written English, the 21,798th 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 reverence?
- /ˈɹɛv.ə.ɹəns/
- /ˈɹɛv.ɹəns/
Reverence has 3 syllables, split rev·er·ence in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-reverence.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of reverence
- reverences plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- reverencing participle, present
- reverenced participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does reverence mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Veneration; profound awe and respect, normally in a sacred context.
- 2
An act of showing respect, such as a bow.
August 2, 1758, Oliver Goldsmith, A Letter from a Traveller Make twenty reverences upon receiving […] about twopence.
- 3
The state of being revered.
- 4
A form of address for some members of the clergy.
Your Reverence
- 5
That which deserves or exacts manifestations of reverence; reverend character; dignity; state.
verb
- 1
To show or feel reverence to.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Reverence in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| German | Ehrfurcht, Bewunderung, Verehrung, Hochachtung , Ehrerbietung, Reverenz |
| Portuguese | deferência, reverência |
| Spanish | reverencia, veneración, pleitesía |
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 reverence come from?
From Middle English reverence (noun) and reverencen (verb), from Old French reverence and Latin reverentia, from Latin revereor (“to stand in awe, respect, revere”), from re- + vereor, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to cover, heed, notice”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).