résistance

\ʁe.zis.tɑ̃s\

/\ʁe.zis.tɑ̃s\/ noun

The verdict

“résistance” is a regularly-used French word, ranked #1,935 in French word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,935
frequency rank, French
10
letters
16
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Qualité par laquelle un corps résiste à l’action d’un autre corps.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

résistance vs résistant
80% similar
résistance vs résistants
80% similar
résistance vs résistante
90% similar

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

Key facts for résistance
PropertyValue
Headwordrésistance
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\ʁe.zis.tɑ̃s\
Letters10
Frequency rank#1,935
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “résistance” 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). résistance 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 résistance is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \ʁe.zis.tɑ̃s\. Corpus data places it at rank #1,935 in overall French word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 14 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for résistance, with forms such as "resistance", "rrésistance", and "rséistance". 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 5 confusable-pair relationships, "résistant", "résistants", "résistante", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct French form is résistance, spelled R-É-S-I-S-T-A-N-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Qualité par laquelle un corps résiste à l’action d’un autre corps.
  2. 2
    La force opposée par un corps aux diverses actions qui s’exercent sur lui.
  3. 3
    Grandeur caractérisant la solidité : tenue d’une pièce à une force, d’un matériau à une contrainte mécanique sans rupture ou endommagement.
  4. 4
    Opposition de certains corps au passage d’un courant électrique.
  5. 5
    Élément d’un circuit électrique qui remplit cette fonction.
  6. 6
    Obstacle, opposition, difficulté.
  7. 7
    Force permettant de résister à la fatigue, endurance.
  8. 8
    Capacité de survie d’un organisme face à une maladie.
  9. 9
    Défense que font les hommes, les animaux ou les micro-organismes contre ceux qui les attaquent.
  10. 10
    Perte ou absence de sensibilité d’un parasite ou d’une maladie aux moyens de traitement.
  11. 11
    Mécanisme de défense naturelle présent à l’état latent dans une plante, qui est activé après une attaque parasitaire.
  12. 12
    Fait de se faire prier longtemps avant de faire quelque chose.
  13. 13
    Opposition aux desseins, aux volontés, aux sentiments d’un autre, ou à ses propres passions.
  14. 14
    Opposition armée à un envahisseur.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: resistance,rrésistance,rséistance,réisstance,résisatnce,résisstance,résistacne,résistancce,résistanec,résistannce,résistnace,résisttance,résitsance,réssistance,réssitance,érsistance

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

resistance1rrésistance1rséistance2réisstance2résisatnce2résisstance1résistacne2résistancce1
Edit distance from "résistance"

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 "résistance"?
"résistance" is spelled R-É-S-I-S-T-A-N-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is \ʁe.zis.tɑ̃s\.
What does "résistance" mean?
As a noun, "résistance" means: Qualité par laquelle un corps résiste à l’action d’un autre corps.
What words are commonly confused with "résistance"?
"résistance" is commonly confused with "résistant", "résistants", "résistante". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "résistance"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "résistance" is \ʁe.zis.tɑ̃s\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "résistance" come from?
"résistance" 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 “résistance”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is R-É-S-I-S-T-A-N-C-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \ʁe.zis.tɑ̃s\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “résistant” - see the side-by-side comparison. résistance vs résistant
  • 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