défaits vs défaut, What's the Difference?

Which to use

“défaits” is an adjective and “défaut” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#32,789
“défaits” frequency rank: #1,950
“défaut” frequency rank: 34739
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	défaits	défaut
Definition	Masculin pluriel de défait.	Imperfection physique.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set défaits and défaut apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch

défaits

6 ch

défaut

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: défaits is \de.fɛ\ while défaut is \de.fo\. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (adjective vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 34739, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

défaits is recorded at frequency rank #32,789, classified as anadj, pronounced \de.fɛ\. défaut is at rank #1,950, tagged as anoun, pronounced \de.fo\.

Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.

With a confusion score of 34739, this pair ranks #281,732 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of défaits vs défaut

Shared letters: adfté. Private to "défaits": is. Private to "défaut": u.

"défaits" · 7 letters · shape CVCVVCC · "défaut" · 6 letters · shape CVCVVC

Frequency comparison

défaits#32,789

défaut#1,950

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "défaits" and "défaut" be used interchangeably?

No - they are not even the same part of speech. "défaits" is an adjective and "défaut" a noun, so a sentence built for one is usually ungrammatical with the other.

Which is more common, "défaits" or "défaut"?

"défaut" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #1,950 in our French list, against #32,789 for "défaits". That is a wide gap, so in ordinary text the rarer spelling is the one worth double-checking.

Remembering défaits vs défaut

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “défaits”; for a noun, it's “défaut”.
See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “défaits” entry
Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable