valet

\va.lɛ\

/\va.lɛ\/ noun

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

The verdict

“valet” is a moderately-common French word, ranked #13,933 in French word frequency and used as a noun.

#13,933
frequency rank, French
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Jeune écuyer au service d’un seigneur.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

valet vs vaut
60% similar
valet vs volé
40% similar
valet vs vase
60% similar

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

Key facts for valet
PropertyValue
Headwordvalet
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\va.lɛ\
Letters5
Frequency rank#13,933
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “valet” 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). valet 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 valet is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \va.lɛ\. Corpus data places it at rank #13,933 in overall French word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 12 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for valet, with forms such as "avlet", "vaelt", and "valett". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "vaut", "volé", "vase", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct French form is valet, spelled V-A-L-E-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Jeune écuyer au service d’un seigneur.
  2. 2
    Dénomination des domestiques et serviteurs qui tenaient certains offices dans la maison (du roi et dans celles des princes, des nobles…) dans une ferme ou dans la société civile dont seules quelques dénominations sont encore en usage. (voir dérivés fonctions)
  3. 3
    Carte sur laquelle est peinte la figure d’un page ou valet, et qui existe dans chacune des quatre couleurs d’un jeu.
  4. 4
    Désigne certains outils, accessoires ou organes mécaniques qui font la fonction d'un serviteur ou d'une aide.
  5. 5
    Instrument de fer coudé qui sert à immobiliser sur l'établi la pièce de bois que l’on travaille.
  6. 6
    Anneau de bois ou de paille tressée qui permet de déposer en équilibre un vase à fond bombé.
  7. 7
    Contrepoids placé derrière une porte pour la faire se fermer seule.
  8. 8
    Petit support, appui, derrière un miroir portatif.
  9. 9
    Peloton de fil caret qui retenait la charge dans le canon.
  10. 10
    Désigne quelqu’un de servile et dévoué à un homme, à une cause… ou à des avantages pécuniers.
  11. 11
    Pièce de mobilier utilisée pour déposer ses vêtements, la nuit.
  12. 12
    (Suisse) Le fils.

Synonyms

laquais

This word in other languages

valet(English)sota(Español)Bube(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: avlet,vaelt,valett,vallet,valte,vlaet,vvalet

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

avlet2vaelt2valett1vallet1valte2vlaet2vvalet1
Edit distance from "valet"

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 "valet"?
"valet" is spelled V-A-L-E-T. The IPA pronunciation is \va.lɛ\.
What does "valet" mean?
As a noun, "valet" means: Jeune écuyer au service d’un seigneur.
What words are commonly confused with "valet"?
"valet" is commonly confused with "vaut", "volé", "vase". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "valet"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "valet" is \va.lɛ\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "valet" come from?
"valet" 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 “valet”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is V-A-L-E-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \va.lɛ\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “vaut” - see the side-by-side comparison. valet vs vaut
  • 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