Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

fester

/ˈfɛstɚ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.76 in modern English

Syllables
fes-ter
IPA
/ˈfɛstɚ/
9
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A fistula.

Obsolete

noun

A sore or an ulcer of the skin.

noun

The condition of something that festers; a festering; a festerment.

verb

To become septic; to become rotten.

Intransitive verb

verb

To worsen, especially due to lack of attention.

Intransitive verb

verb

To cause to fester or rankle.

Transitive verb

name

A surname from German.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English festre, festur, borrowed from Old French festre (cognate with Italian fistola, Occitan fistola, Spanish fístula), from Latin fistula. The verb is derived from the noun, while the “condition of something that festers” noun sense is derived from the verb. Doublet of fistula.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈfɛstɚ/
  • British English: /ˈfɛstə/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce fester?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈfɛstɚ/.
What does fester mean?
A fistula.
Where does fester come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce fester

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “fester”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈfɛstɚ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “fester”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “fester” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.