TEFL

/ˈtɛfl̩/

//ˈtɛfl̩// noun

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

"tefl" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“TEFL” is uncommon English (frequency #79,118 among 27,828 “T” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#79,118
frequency rank, English
27,828
“T” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Teaching of English as a foreign language.

Key facts for TEFL
PropertyValue
HeadwordTEFL
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtɛfl̩/
Letters4
Frequency rank#79,118
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “TEFL” 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). TEFL lands here:

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

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

Rare enough to double-check

TEFL is uncommon English at frequency #79,118 among 27,828 “T” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈtɛfl̩/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Teaching of English as a foreign language.".

No misspelling variants are generated for TEFL in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Acronym of teaching (of) English as a foreign language. The correct English form is TEFL, spelled T-E-F-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    Teaching of English as a foreign language.

Etymology

Acronym of teaching (of) English as a foreign language.

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 "TEFL"?
"TEFL" is spelled T-E-F-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɛfl̩/.
What does "TEFL" mean?
As a noun, "TEFL" means: Teaching of English as a foreign language.
How do you pronounce "TEFL"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "TEFL" is /ˈtɛfl̩/. 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 "TEFL"?
Acronym of teaching (of) English as a foreign language. 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 “TEFL”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-E-F-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtɛfl̩/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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