patouiller

\pa.tu.je\

/\pa.tu.je\/ verb

The verdict

“patouiller” is uncommon French (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency French
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Patauger ^([1]).

Corpus desk

Index FR-patouiller · patouiller · French

patouiller · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "P" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for patouiller
PropertyValue
Headwordpatouiller
LanguageFrench
Part of speechVerb
IPA\pa.tu.je\
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Longue queue: rang de « patouiller » en français

patouillern'entre pas dans le top 100.000 du français: zone de termes techniques, archaïques ou rares.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

patouiller is uncommon French outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed \pa.tu.je\. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for patouiller in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable French patterns. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct French form is patouiller, spelled P-A-T-O-U-I-L-L-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Patauger ^([1]).
  2. 2
    Manipuler sans ménagement ou tact ^([1]).

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how patouiller appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Les gros poissons sortaient, des carpes énormes qu’il fallait attraper une par une. Les deux valets étaient descendus dans la poêle et ils y patouillaient, crottés jusqu’aux cheveux, contents tout de même de ce singulier travail.
  2. Ça s’anime, ça se resserre, ça fuse en gerbes d’odeur et de son, et ça s’épanouit : abois de chien, porte qui claque, foule qui court, porc, gros canard qui patouille la boue avec sa main jaune.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "patouiller"?
"patouiller" is spelled P-A-T-O-U-I-L-L-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is \pa.tu.je\.
What does "patouiller" mean?
As a verb, "patouiller" means: Patauger ^([1]).
How do you pronounce "patouiller"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "patouiller" is \pa.tu.je\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "patouiller" come from?
"patouiller" 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.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list