pâteux

\pɑ.tø\

/\pɑ.tø\/ adj

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

The verdict

“pâteux” is uncommon French (frequency #78,774 among 248,534 “P” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#78,774
frequency rank, French
248,534
“P” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Qui a la consistance ou l'aspect de la pâte.

Key facts for pâteux
PropertyValue
Headwordpâteux
LanguageFrench
Part of speechAdjective
IPA\pɑ.tø\
Letters6
Frequency rank#78,774
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “pâteux” 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). pâteux 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

pâteux is uncommon French at frequency #78,774 among 248,534 “P” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed \pɑ.tø\. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 8 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for pâteux in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct French form is pâteux, spelled P-Â-T-E-U-X.

Definition

  1. 1
    Qui a la consistance ou l'aspect de la pâte.
  2. 2
    Se dit du pain qui n’est pas assez levé ou pas assez cuit.
  3. 3
    Qualifie les choses qui font dans la bouche le même effet que ferait de la pâte.
  4. 4
    Qualifie un liquide dans lequel des matières en suspens empêchent son entière liquidité.
  5. 5
    Qualifie la bouche, ou ce qui en a trait, lorsqu’elle semble empâtée d’une salive épaisse.
  6. 6
    Qualifie un style mou, lourd, filandreux.
  7. 7
    Qualifie une parole embarrassée.
  8. 8
    Qui semble avoir été peint d'un pinceau empâté.

This word in other languages

pasty(English)pastoso(Español)pappig(Deutsch)

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 "pâteux"?
"pâteux" is spelled P-Â-T-E-U-X. The IPA pronunciation is \pɑ.tø\.
What does "pâteux" mean?
As an adjective, "pâteux" means: Qui a la consistance ou l'aspect de la pâte.
How do you pronounce "pâteux"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "pâteux" is \pɑ.tø\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "pâteux" come from?
"pâteux" 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 “pâteux”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is P-Â-T-E-U-X - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \pɑ.tø\ (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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list