définir

\de.fi.niʁ\

/\de.fi.niʁ\/ verb

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

The verdict

“définir” is a regularly-used French word, ranked #3,991 in French word frequency and used as a verb.

#3,991
frequency rank, French
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
10
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Déterminer avec précision.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

définir vs devenir
57% similar
définir vs définit
86% similar
définir vs deviner
57% similar

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

Key facts for définir
PropertyValue
Headworddéfinir
LanguageFrench
Part of speechVerb
IPA\de.fi.niʁ\
Letters7
Frequency rank#3,991
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs10
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “définir” 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). définir lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The French entry for définir is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \de.fi.niʁ\. Corpus data places it at rank #3,991 in overall French word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for définir, with forms such as "ddéfinir", "definir", and "dféinir". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 10 confusable-pair relationships, "devenir", "définit", "deviner", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct French form is définir, spelled D-É-F-I-N-I-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Déterminer avec précision.
  2. 2
    Déterminer avec précision.
  3. 3
    Caractériser quelqu’un ou quelque chose.
  4. 4
    Donner la (ou les) signification(s) d’un mot, quel sens on y attache.
  5. 5
    Assigner une valeur à une variable, généralement après sa déclaration.
  6. 6
    Traduire dans un langage naturel une notion mathématique abstraite.
  7. 7
    Parce que le travail mathématique consiste pour beaucoup dans ce passage abstrait-compréhensible, ce verbe est devenu un fourre-tout, synonyme de créer, concevoir, supposer, prouver, etc.
  8. 8
    Délimiter, circonscrire.
  9. 9
    Exprimer son identité, ce que l'on est, la façon dont on se voit.

Synonyms

décriredéterminerformuleranalyserdéterminerexpliquer

This word in other languages

define(English)definir(Español)definieren(Deutsch)definir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddéfinir,definir,dféinir,déffinir,défiinr,définirr,définnir,définri,défniir,déifnir,édfinir

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of définir - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ddéfinir1definir1dféinir2déffinir1défiinr2définirr1définnir1définri2
Edit distance from "définir"

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 "définir"?
"définir" is spelled D-É-F-I-N-I-R. The IPA pronunciation is \de.fi.niʁ\.
What does "définir" mean?
As a verb, "définir" means: Déterminer avec précision.
What words are commonly confused with "définir"?
"définir" is commonly confused with "devenir", "définit", "deviner". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "définir"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "définir" is \de.fi.niʁ\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "définir" come from?
"définir" is a French word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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 “définir”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is D-É-F-I-N-I-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \de.fi.niʁ\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “devenir” - see the side-by-side comparison. définir vs devenir
  • 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list