steadfast
/ˈstɛdfæst/adjective
steadfast is spelled S-T-E-A-D-F-A-S-T: 9 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 1.4 times per million words in written English, the 24,170th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, steadfast means “Fixed or unchanging; steady” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in steadfast?
| Letters | 9: S-T-E-A-D-F-A-S-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 1.4 times per million words; the 24,170th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
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).
How common is steadfast?
Steadfast appears 1.4 times per million words in written English, the 24,170th 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 steadfast?
- UK /ˈstɛdfɑːst/
- US /ˈstɛdfæst/
- /ˈstɛdfəst/
Steadfast has 2 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: En-us-steadfast.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of steadfast
- steadfaster comparative
- more steadfast comparative
- steadfastest superlative
- most steadfast superlative
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does steadfast mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Fixed or unchanging; steady.
- 2
Firmly loyal or constant; unswerving.
steadfast support
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Steadfast in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | déterminé |
| German | unentwegt, standhaft |
| Portuguese | firme, constante , inabalável |
| Spanish | constable, empecinado |
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 steadfast come from?
From Middle English stedefast, from Old English stedefæst, from Proto-Germanic *stadifastuz, equivalent to stead (“place; spot; position”) + fast (“firm; fixed”). Cognate with Middle Dutch stedevast (“steadfast”), Icelandic staðfestur (“steadfast”), Danish stedfast (“firmly attached, secured”), Danish stadfæste (“to confirm; ratify”), Norwegian Nynorsk stadfesta (“confirm, ratify; establish”), Swedish stadfästa (“to confirm; establish”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).