tempest

/ˈtɛm.pəst/

//ˈtɛm.pəst// noun

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

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

The verdict

“tempest” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #19,984. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#19,984
frequency rank, English
3,151
“T” headwords
11
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A storm, especially one with severe winds.

Corpus desk

Index EN-tempest · tempest · English

tempest · rank #19,984 · 11 variants · 4 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #19,984
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 4 pairs
  • VAR-MID 11 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,151
  • PHOTO-FINISH tau

Nearest frequency peer: tau (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “tempest”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “tempest” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

tempest vs tempt
71% similar
tempest vs temples
71% similar
tempest vs Tempe
57% similar

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

Key facts for tempest
PropertyValue
Headwordtempest
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtɛm.pəst/
Letters7
Frequency rank#19,984
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “tempest”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).tempestlands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “tau” (#19,983), “tending” (#19,985), “Sykes” (#19,982). Among 3,151 “T” headwords, “tempest” is #19,984. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around tempest (IPA /ˈtɛm.pəst/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #19,984 among 3,151 “T” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for tempest, with forms such as "etmpest", "temepst", and "temmpest". 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, "tempt", "temples", "Tempe", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French tempeste (French tempête), from Latin tempestas (“storm”), from tempus (“time, weather”). The correct English form is tempest, spelled T-E-M-P-E-S-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A storm, especially one with severe winds.
  2. 2
    Any violent tumult or commotion.
  3. 3
    A fashionable social gathering; a drum.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how tempest appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. For a Tempeſt. Take Eurus, Zephyr, Auſter and Boreas, and caſt them together in one Verſe. Add to theſe of Rain, Lightning, and of Thunder (the loudeſt you can) quantum ſufficit. Mix your Clouds and Billows well together till they foam, and thicken your Deſcription here and there with a Quickſand. Brew your Tempeſt well in your Head, before you ſet it a b…
  2. BEAT on, proud billows; Boreas blow; / Swell, curled waves, high as Jove's roof; / Your incivility doth ſhow, / That innocence is tempeſt proof; / Though ſurly Nereus frown, my thoughts are calm; / Then ſtrike, Affliction, for thy wounds are balm. [Attributed to Roger L'Estrange (1616–1704).]

Etymology

From Old French tempeste (French tempête), from Latin tempestas (“storm”), from tempus (“time, weather”).

This word in other languages

tempestad(Español)tempête(Français)Sturm(Deutsch)tempestade(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • etmpest
  • temepst
  • temmpest
  • tempesst
  • tempestt
  • tempets
  • temppest
  • tempset
  • tepmest
  • tmepest
  • ttempest

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of tempest - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

etmpest2temepst2temmpest1tempesst1tempestt1tempets2temppest1tempset2
Edit distance from "tempest"

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 "tempest"?
"tempest" is spelled T-E-M-P-E-S-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɛm.pəst/.
What does "tempest" mean?
As a noun, "tempest" means: A storm, especially one with severe winds.
What words are commonly confused with "tempest"?
"tempest" is commonly confused with "tempt", "temples", "Tempe". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "tempest"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tempest" is /ˈtɛm.pəst/. 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 "tempest"?
From Old French tempeste (French tempête), from Latin tempestas (“storm”), from tempus (“time, weather”). 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "tempest", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

tending#19,985there'd#19,988Trenton#19,996Tripoli#19,997

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (11 here; floor ≥5).

Sudanese11 variantsRowland11 variantsunionist11 variantsrecourse11 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list