Which to use
“défier” is a verb and “dernier” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #12,556
- “défier” frequency rank
- #279
- “dernier” frequency rank
- 12835
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | défier | dernier |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Provoquer à une lutte, au duel. | Dans un ensemble trié, l’élément qui arrive après tous les autres. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set défier and dernier apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: défier is \de.fje\ while dernier is \dɛʁ.nje\. 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 (verb vs adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 12835, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
défier is recorded at frequency rank #12,556, classified as averb, pronounced \de.fje\. dernier is at rank #279, tagged as anadj, pronounced \dɛʁ.nje\.
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 12835, this pair ranks #403,562 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of défier vs dernier
Shared letters: deir. Private to "défier": fé. Private to "dernier": n.
"défier" · 6 letters · shape CVCVVC · "dernier" · 7 letters · shape CVCCVVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- dernier ← ddernier · denrier · deriner · derneir · dernierr · dernire · dernnier · derrnier
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "défier" and "dernier" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "défier" or "dernier"?
Remembering défier vs dernier
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “défier”; for an adjective, it's “dernier”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “défier” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable