Which to use
“fonction” and “friction” are a confusable French pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #724
- “fonction” frequency rank
- #26,014
- “friction” frequency rank
- 26738
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | fonction | friction |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Activité qui tend à un but déterminé. | Frottement que l’on fait sur quelque partie du corps, à sec ou autrement, avec les mains, avec une brosse, avec de la flanelle, etc., pour activer la circulation, calmer une douleur, etc. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set fonction and friction apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. fonction (\fɔ̃k.sjɔ̃\) and friction (\fʁik.sjɔ̃\) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 26738, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
fonction is recorded at frequency rank #724, classified as anoun, pronounced \fɔ̃k.sjɔ̃\. friction is at rank #26,014, tagged as anoun, pronounced \fʁik.sjɔ̃\.
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 26738, this pair ranks #333,136 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of fonction vs friction
Shared letters: cfinot. Private to "fonction": -. Private to "friction": r.
"fonction" · 8 letters · shape CVCCCVVC · "friction" · 8 letters · shape CCVCCVVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "fonction" and "friction" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "fonction" or "friction"?
Remembering fonction vs friction
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “fonction” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable