élément
\e.le.mɑ̃\
The verdict
“élément” is a regularly-used French word, ranked #2,207 in French word frequency and used as a noun.
- #2,207
- frequency rank, French
- 7
- letters
- 11
- tracked misspellings
- 8
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Partie unitaire d’un ensemble.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | élément |
| Language | French |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | \e.le.mɑ̃\ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Frequency rank | #2,207 |
| Misspellings tracked | 11 |
| Confusable pairs | 8 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “élément” sits in French frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The French entry for élément is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \e.le.mɑ̃\. Corpus data places it at rank #2,207 in overall French word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 12 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 élément, with forms such as "element", "léément", and "éllément". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 8 confusable-pair relationships, "eleven", "élèvent", "élevant", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.
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 élément, spelled É-L-É-M-E-N-T.
Definition
- 1Partie unitaire d’un ensemble.
- 2Objet mathématique.
- 3Catégorie immatérielle rassemblant les atomes possédant le même nombre de protons; représentée par un symbole chimique elle est caractérisée par un numéro atomique et une masse atomique.
- 4Une des substances composées ou simples qui constituent un corps.
- 5Un des couples de plaques de zinc et de cuivre ou d’un autre métal, dont on se sert pour construire les piles voltaïques dites à auges.
- 6Toute chose qui entre dans la composition d’une autre, qui contribue à la former.
- 7Élément primordial, une des 4 ou 5 substances (généralement l’air, le feu, la terre et l’eau) que l’on croyait simples, parce qu’on ne savait pas les décomposer, et que l’on supposait être les principes constituants de la matière.
- 8Les diverses conditions de sol, de climat, de saison.
- 9Milieu dans lequel vit et se meut un être animé, un organisme.
- 10Contexte ou activité dans laquelle une personne se sent à l’aise et s’épanouit.
- 11Principes d’un art ou d’une science.
- 12Rudiment.
Synonyms
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: element,léément,éllément,élméent,éléemnt,élémennt,élémentt,élémetn,élémment,élémnet,éélment
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of élément - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.
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 "élément"?
What does "élément" mean?
What words are commonly confused with "élément"?
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Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “élément”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct French spelling is É-L-É-M-E-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as \e.le.mɑ̃\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “eleven” - see the side-by-side comparison. élément vs eleven
- 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.