lesser

\ˈlɛs.ɚ\

/\ˈlɛs.ɚ\/ adj

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

The verdict

“lesser” is uncommon French (frequency #81,311 among 128,088 “L” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#81,311
frequency rank, French
128,088
“L” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Comparatif de little. Plus petit. Souvent utilisé pour nommer le plus petit des deux semblables.

Key facts for lesser
PropertyValue
Headwordlesser
LanguageFrench
Part of speechAdjective
IPA\ˈlɛs.ɚ\
Letters6
Frequency rank#81,311
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lesser” 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). lesser lands here:

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

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

Rare enough to double-check

lesser is uncommon French at frequency #81,311 among 128,088 “L” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed \ˈlɛs.ɚ\. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Comparatif de little. Plus petit. Souvent utilisé pour nommer le plus petit des deux semblables.".

Zero misspellings are on record for lesser in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular French conventions. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

No documented word history exists for this headword, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct French form is lesser, spelled L-E-S-S-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Comparatif de little. Plus petit. Souvent utilisé pour nommer le plus petit des deux semblables.

Synonyms

littler

Antonyms

greater

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 "lesser"?
"lesser" is spelled L-E-S-S-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is \ˈlɛs.ɚ\.
What does "lesser" mean?
As an adjective, "lesser" means: Comparatif de little. Plus petit. Souvent utilisé pour nommer le plus petit des deux semblables.
How do you pronounce "lesser"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lesser" is \ˈlɛs.ɚ\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "lesser" come from?
"lesser" is a French word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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 “lesser”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is L-E-S-S-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \ˈlɛs.ɚ\ (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

Other uncommon French words near this rank

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