apex

/ˈeɪ.pɛks/

//ˈeɪ.pɛks// noun

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

"apex" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“apex” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #10,981 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#10,981
frequency rank, English
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The highest or the greatest part of something, especially forming a point.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

apex vs ax
50% similar
apex vs are
50% similar
apex vs App
25% similar

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

Key facts for apex
PropertyValue
Headwordapex
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈeɪ.pɛks/
Letters4
Frequency rank#10,981
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “apex” sits in English frequency

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for apex is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈeɪ.pɛks/. Corpus data places it at rank #10,981 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 17 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for apex, with forms such as "aepx", "apexx", and "appex". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "ax", "are", "App", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin apex (“point, tip, summit”). The correct English form is apex, spelled A-P-E-X.

Definition

  1. 1
    The highest or the greatest part of something, especially forming a point.
  2. 2
    The highest or the greatest part of something, especially forming a point.
  3. 3
    The highest or the greatest part of something, especially forming a point.
  4. 4
    The highest or the greatest part of something, especially forming a point.
  5. 5
    The highest or the greatest part of something, especially forming a point.
  6. 6
    The highest or the greatest part of something, especially forming a point.
  7. 7
    The highest or the greatest part of something, especially forming a point.
  8. 8
    The highest or the greatest part of something, especially forming a point.
  9. 9
    The highest or the greatest part of something, especially forming a point.
  10. 10
    The highest or the greatest part of something, especially forming a point.
  11. 11
    The highest or the greatest part of something, especially forming a point.
  12. 12
    The highest or the greatest part of something, especially forming a point.
  13. 13
    The highest or the greatest part of something, especially forming a point.
  14. 14
    An obstacle for a horse to jump over, consisting of a triangular corner fence.
  15. 15
    The moment of greatest success, expansion, etc.
  16. 16
    The top of the food chain.
  17. 17
    A conical priest cap.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin apex (“point, tip, summit”).

Synonyms

acmeapexzenithapogeeapotheosisascendancecapstoneclimaxcoronationcrownculminationEverestextremefastigiumhigh notehigh pointhigh tidehigh-water markmiddayoutblossomparoxysmperihelionpinnaclesummasummit

Antonyms

bathoslowest ebbnadirslough of despondtrough

This word in other languages

ápice(Español)apex(Français)Gipfel(Deutsch)ápice(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: aepx,apexx,appex,apxe,paex

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of apex - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

aepx2apexx1appex1apxe2paex2
Edit distance from "apex"

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 "apex"?
"apex" is spelled A-P-E-X. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈeɪ.pɛks/.
What does "apex" mean?
As a noun, "apex" means: The highest or the greatest part of something, especially forming a point.
What words are commonly confused with "apex"?
"apex" is commonly confused with "ax", "are", "App". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "apex"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "apex" is /ˈeɪ.pɛks/. 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 "apex"?
Borrowed from Latin apex (“point, tip, summit”). 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.

Using “apex”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-P-E-X - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈeɪ.pɛks/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “ax” - see the side-by-side comparison. apex vs ax
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list