enfiler

\ɑ̃.fi.le\

/\ɑ̃.fi.le\/ verb

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

The verdict

“enfiler” is a moderately-common French word, ranked #16,608 in French word frequency and used as a verb.

#16,608
frequency rank, French
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
12
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Traverser d’un fil par une ouverture pratiquée à cet effet.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

enfiler vs enflé
57% similar
enfiler vs entier
71% similar
enfiler vs envier
71% similar

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

Key facts for enfiler
PropertyValue
Headwordenfiler
LanguageFrench
Part of speechVerb
IPA\ɑ̃.fi.le\
Letters7
Frequency rank#16,608
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs12
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “enfiler” 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). enfiler 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 enfiler is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \ɑ̃.fi.le\. Corpus data places it at rank #16,608 in overall French word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 11 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for enfiler, with forms such as "efniler", "enffiler", and "enfielr". 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 12 confusable-pair relationships, "enflé", "entier", "envier", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct French form is enfiler, spelled E-N-F-I-L-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Traverser d’un fil par une ouverture pratiquée à cet effet.
  2. 2
    On dit aussi, au jeu de bague : Enfiler un anneau.
  3. 3
    Munir de ses cordes un violon ou un autre instrument à cordes.
  4. 4
    Raconter, en continu, des choses sans suite.
  5. 5
    S’engager dans.
  6. 6
    Prendre en enfilade.
  7. 7
    Percer de la pointe d’une arme.
  8. 8
    En parlant du Jeu, engager quelqu’un dans une partie désavantageuse, l’entraîner dans une grosse perte.
  9. 9
    Pénétrer lors de rapports sexuels.
  10. 10
    Mettre, passer un membre allongé (ex: des bras, jambes, (doigts de) mains) dans un vêtement (ex: des bas, un pantalon, des gants).
  11. 11
    Mettre, passer un vêtement rapidement (ex: un manteau, un pardessus, un pull).

This word in other languages

thread(English)enhebrar(Español)einfädeln(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: efniler,enffiler,enfielr,enfilerr,enfiller,enfilre,enflier,enifler,ennfiler,nefiler

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of enfiler - 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.

efniler2enffiler1enfielr2enfilerr1enfiller1enfilre2enflier2enifler2
Edit distance from "enfiler"

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 "enfiler"?
"enfiler" is spelled E-N-F-I-L-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is \ɑ̃.fi.le\.
What does "enfiler" mean?
As a verb, "enfiler" means: Traverser d’un fil par une ouverture pratiquée à cet effet.
What words are commonly confused with "enfiler"?
"enfiler" is commonly confused with "enflé", "entier", "envier". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "enfiler"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "enfiler" is \ɑ̃.fi.le\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "enfiler" come from?
"enfiler" is a French word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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 “enfiler”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is E-N-F-I-L-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \ɑ̃.fi.le\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “enflé” - see the side-by-side comparison. enfiler vs enflé
  • 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