arc-en-ciel

\aʁ.kɑ̃.sjɛl\

/\aʁ.kɑ̃.sjɛl\/ noun

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

The verdict

“arc-en-ciel” is uncommon French (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency French
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Phénomène optique et météorologique qui rend visible le spectre continu de la lumière du soleil quand il brille pendant la pluie ou sur des gouttelettes (jet d’eau, chute d’eau, etc.).

Key facts for arc-en-ciel
PropertyValue
Headwordarc-en-ciel
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\aʁ.kɑ̃.sjɛl\
Letters11
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “arc-en-ciel” sits in French frequency

arc-en-ciel falls outside the top-100,000 ranked French words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

arc-en-ciel is uncommon French outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed \aʁ.kɑ̃.sjɛl\. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for arc-en-ciel in our index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct French form is arc-en-ciel, spelled A-R-C---E-N---C-I-E-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    Phénomène optique et météorologique qui rend visible le spectre continu de la lumière du soleil quand il brille pendant la pluie ou sur des gouttelettes (jet d’eau, chute d’eau, etc.).
  2. 2
    Symbole de la communauté LGBTQIA+.
  3. 3
    Symbole de la paix.

Synonyms

arc de Saint Martinarc de Saint Michelarc-dieuceinture de Saint Martincourroie de Saint Jeancroix de Saint Jeanporte de Saint Jeanporte de Saint Jeanraie de Saint Bernardraie de Saint Jacquesraie de Saint Jeanraie de Saint Martinrègle de Saint Martinsentier de Saint Jean

This word in other languages

rainbow(English)arco iris(Español)Regenbogen(Deutsch)arco-íris(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "arc-en-ciel"?
"arc-en-ciel" is spelled A-R-C---E-N---C-I-E-L. The IPA pronunciation is \aʁ.kɑ̃.sjɛl\.
What does "arc-en-ciel" mean?
As a noun, "arc-en-ciel" means: Phénomène optique et météorologique qui rend visible le spectre continu de la lumière du soleil quand il brille pendant la pluie ou sur des gouttelettes (jet d’eau, chute d’eau, etc.).
How do you pronounce "arc-en-ciel"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "arc-en-ciel" is \aʁ.kɑ̃.sjɛl\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "arc-en-ciel" come from?
"arc-en-ciel" is a French word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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 “arc-en-ciel”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is A-R-C---E-N---C-I-E-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \aʁ.kɑ̃.sjɛl\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more French words and confusable pairs in the same reference. French words
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