détecter

\de.tɛk.te\

/\de.tɛk.te\/ verb

The verdict

“détecter” has 13 generated spelling variants in the French index at frequency #8,698. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#8,698
frequency rank, French
404,891
“D” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
18
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Se rendre compte de ; déceler ; trouver, en parlant de quelque chose qui n'était pas évident.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

détecter vs déteste
75% similar
détecter vs détente
75% similar
détecter vs détester
88% similar

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

Key facts for détecter
PropertyValue
Headworddétecter
LanguageFrench
Part of speechVerb
IPA\de.tɛk.te\
Letters8
Frequency rank#8,698
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs18
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “détecter” 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). détecter lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around détecter (IPA \de.tɛk.te\), averb. Corpus frequency is #8,698 among 404,891 “D” headwords. Dominant gloss: "Se rendre compte de ; déceler ; trouver, en parlant de quelque chose qui n'était pas évident.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for détecter, with forms such as "ddétecter", "detecter", and "dtéecter". 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 18 confusable-pair relationships, "déteste", "détente", "détester", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct French form is détecter, spelled D-É-T-E-C-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Se rendre compte de ; déceler ; trouver, en parlant de quelque chose qui n'était pas évident.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddétecter,detecter,dtéecter,déetcter,détceter,déteccter,détecetr,détecterr,détectre,détectter,détetcer,déttecter,édtecter

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ddétecter1detecter1dtéecter2déetcter2détceter2déteccter1détecetr2détecterr1
Edit distance from "détecter"

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 "détecter"?
"détecter" is spelled D-É-T-E-C-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is \de.tɛk.te\.
What does "détecter" mean?
As a verb, "détecter" means: Se rendre compte de ; déceler ; trouver, en parlant de quelque chose qui n'était pas évident.
What words are commonly confused with "détecter"?
"détecter" is commonly confused with "déteste", "détente", "détester". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "détecter"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "détecter" is \de.tɛk.te\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "détecter" come from?
"détecter" 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 “détecter”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is D-É-T-E-C-T-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \de.tɛk.te\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “déteste” - see the side-by-side comparison. détecter vs déteste
  • Browse more French words and confusable pairs in the same reference. French words

Same frequency band

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