modeste

\mɔ.dɛst\

/\mɔ.dɛst\/ adj

The verdict

“modeste” is a regularly-used French word, ranked #5,156 in French word frequency and used as an adjective.

#5,156
frequency rank, French
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
11
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Qui a de la retenue, de la modération, qui ne donne dans aucun excès.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

modeste vs mouette
71% similar
modeste vs molette
71% similar
modeste vs modestes
88% similar

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

Key facts for modeste
PropertyValue
Headwordmodeste
LanguageFrench
Part of speechAdjective
IPA\mɔ.dɛst\
Letters7
Frequency rank#5,156
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs11
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “modeste” 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). modeste 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 modeste is 7 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \mɔ.dɛst\. Corpus data places it at rank #5,156 in overall French word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 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 modeste, with forms such as "mdoeste", "mmodeste", and "moddeste". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 11 confusable-pair relationships, "mouette", "molette", "modestes", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct French form is modeste, spelled M-O-D-E-S-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Qui a de la retenue, de la modération, qui ne donne dans aucun excès.
  2. 2
    Qui est modéré, simple, sans éclat, en parlant d’une chose.
  3. 3
    Subalterne.
  4. 4
    Qui est réservé dans la manière de penser et de parler de soi, qui a une opinion modérée de son mérite, humble.
  5. 5
    Petit en taille ou en valeur, peu nombreux.
  6. 6
    Qui a de la pudeur, qui observe la décence, en parlant des personnes.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: mdoeste,mmodeste,moddeste,modeset,modesste,modestte,modetse,modsete,moedste,omdeste

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

mdoeste2mmodeste1moddeste1modeset2modesste1modestte1modetse2modsete2
Edit distance from "modeste"

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 "modeste"?
"modeste" is spelled M-O-D-E-S-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is \mɔ.dɛst\.
What does "modeste" mean?
As an adjective, "modeste" means: Qui a de la retenue, de la modération, qui ne donne dans aucun excès.
What words are commonly confused with "modeste"?
"modeste" is commonly confused with "mouette", "molette", "modestes". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "modeste"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "modeste" is \mɔ.dɛst\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "modeste" come from?
"modeste" 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 “modeste”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is M-O-D-E-S-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \mɔ.dɛst\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “mouette” - see the side-by-side comparison. modeste vs mouette
  • 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