agape

/əˈɡeɪp/

//əˈɡeɪp// adj

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

"agape" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“agape” has 6 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #44,043. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#44,043
frequency rank, English
3,931
“A” headwords
6
tracked misspellings
19
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In a state of astonishment, wonder, expectation, or eager attention; as with mouth hanging open.

Corpus desk

Index EN-agape · agape · English

agape · rank #44,043 · 6 variants · 19 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #44,043
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 19 pairs
  • VAR-MID 6 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,931
  • PHOTO-FINISH agh

Nearest frequency peer: agh (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “agape”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “agape” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

agape vs age
60% similar
agape vs ape
60% similar
agape vs ASAP
0% similar

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

Key facts for agape
PropertyValue
Headwordagape
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/əˈɡeɪp/
Letters5
Frequency rank#44,043
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs19
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “agape”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).agapelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “agh” (#44,044), “Ailes” (#44,045), “aimless” (#44,046). Among 3,931 “A” headwords, “agape” is #44,043. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 6 spelling variants around agape (IPA /əˈɡeɪp/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #44,043 among 3,931 “A” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for agape, with forms such as "aagpe", "agaep", and "agappe". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 19 confusable-pair relationships, "age", "ape", "ASAP", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From a- + gape. First known use by John Milton in Paradise Lost (1667). The correct English form is agape, spelled A-G-A-P-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    In a state of astonishment, wonder, expectation, or eager attention; as with mouth hanging open.
  2. 2
    Wide open.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how agape appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. […] in himself was all his state, More solemn then the tedious pomp that waits On Princes, when thir rich Retinue long Of Horses led, and Grooms besmeard with Gold Dazles the croud, and sets them all agape.
  2. There I stand, agape like any country bumpkin

Etymology

From a- + gape. First known use by John Milton in Paradise Lost (1667).

This word in other languages

boquiabierto(Español)bouche bée(Français)boquiaberto(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • aagpe
  • agaep
  • agappe
  • aggape
  • agpae
  • gaape

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

aagpe2agaep2agappe1aggape1agpae2gaape2
Edit distance from "agape"

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 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "agape"?
"agape" is spelled A-G-A-P-E. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈɡeɪp/.
What does "agape" mean?
As an adjective, "agape" means: In a state of astonishment, wonder, expectation, or eager attention; as with mouth hanging open.
What words are commonly confused with "agape"?
"agape" is commonly confused with "age", "ape", "ASAP". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "agape"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "agape" is /əˈɡeɪp/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "agape"?
From a- + gape. First known use by John Milton in Paradise Lost (1667). See the full etymology section above for more details.
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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "agape", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Ailes#44,045altho#44,055anise#44,060Ansar#44,061

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (6 here; floor ≥5).

wald6 variantsVogt6 variantsBohr6 variantsboxy6 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list