# rigour

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɹɪɡə(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #43,349

## Definitions
1. Severity or strictness.
2. Harshness, as of climate.
3. A trembling or shivering response.
4. Character of being unyielding or inflexible.
5. Shrewd questioning.
6. Higher level of difficulty.
7. Misspelling of rigor (“rigor mortis”).

## Etymology
From Middle English rigour, from Anglo-Norman, from Old French rigor, from Latin rigor (“stiffness, rigidity, rigor, cold, harshness”), from rigere (“to be rigid”). Compare French rigueur.

## Easily confused with
- **rumour** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rigour-vs-rumour)
- **rigor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rigor-vs-rigour)

## Common misspellings (8)
`irgour`, `rgiour`, `riggour`, `rigoru`, `rigourr`, `riguor`, `riogur`, `rrigour`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/rigour