défunction

\de.fœ̃k.sjɔ̃\

/\de.fœ̃k.sjɔ̃\/ noun

The verdict

“défunction” is outside the top-ranked French vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency French
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Fait de défuncter, de mourir.

Key facts for défunction
PropertyValue
Headworddéfunction
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\de.fœ̃k.sjɔ̃\
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “défunction” sits in French frequency

défunction 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.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The French entry for défunction is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \de.fœ̃k.sjɔ̃\. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "Fait de défuncter, de mourir.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for défunction, a sign its spelling follows regular French conventions. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct French form is défunction, spelled D-É-F-U-N-C-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Fait de défuncter, de mourir.

Synonyms

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 "défunction"?
"défunction" is spelled D-É-F-U-N-C-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is \de.fœ̃k.sjɔ̃\.
What does "défunction" mean?
As a noun, "défunction" means: Fait de défuncter, de mourir.
How do you pronounce "défunction"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "défunction" is \de.fœ̃k.sjɔ̃\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "défunction" come from?
"défunction" 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 “défunction”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is D-É-F-U-N-C-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \de.fœ̃k.sjɔ̃\ (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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list