Chlef

\ʃmef\

/\ʃmef\/ name

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

The verdict

“Chlef” is uncommon French (frequency #53,203 among 257,141 “C” headwords), classed as a proper noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#53,203
frequency rank, French
257,141
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Ville du Nord de l’Algérie, entre Alger et Oran.

Key facts for Chlef
PropertyValue
HeadwordChlef
LanguageFrench
Part of speechProper noun
IPA\ʃmef\
Letters5
Frequency rank#53,203
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Chlef” sits in French 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). Chlef 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

Chlef is uncommon French at frequency #53,203 among 257,141 “C” headwords, classed as aproper noun, transcribed \ʃmef\. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for Chlef, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct French form is Chlef, spelled C-H-L-E-F.

Definition

  1. 1
    Ville du Nord de l’Algérie, entre Alger et Oran.
  2. 2
    Wilaya dont cette ville est le chef-lieu.

Synonyms

El AsnamOrléansville

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 French corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Chlef"?
"Chlef" is spelled C-H-L-E-F. The IPA pronunciation is \ʃmef\.
What does "Chlef" mean?
As a proper noun, "Chlef" means: Ville du Nord de l’Algérie, entre Alger et Oran.
How do you pronounce "Chlef"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Chlef" is \ʃmef\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Chlef" come from?
"Chlef" is a French word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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 “Chlef”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is C-H-L-E-F - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \ʃmef\ (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

Other uncommon French 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