apo-
"apo" is a 3-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“apo-” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a prefix - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 4
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Lacking, without, scant.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | apo- |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Prefix |
| Letters | 4 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “apo-” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for apo- is 4 letters long, classified as a prefix. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 15 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
apo- has no tracked misspelling variants, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.
Etymologically, the entry records: From the Ancient Greek prefix ἀπό- (apó-), from the preposition ἀπό (apó, “from, away from”), from the Proto-Indo-European *h₂epo (“off, away”), whence the English words off and of, and ab- (via Latin). Doublet of ab- and off-. The correct English form is apo-, spelled A-P-O--.
Definition
- 1Lacking, without, scant.
- 2Lacking, without, scant.
- 3Lacking, without, scant.
- 4Lacking, without, scant.
- 5Away from, outward, or apart in direction.
- 6Away from, outward, or apart in direction.
- 7Away from, outward, or apart in direction.
- 8Away from, outward, or apart in direction.
- 9Away from, outward, or apart in direction.
- 10From, coming from.
- 11From, coming from.
- 12Distant, far from, or apart in position.
- 13Distant, far from, or apart in position.
- 14Distant, far from, or apart in position.
- 15To carry forth, to do.
Etymology
From the Ancient Greek prefix ἀπό- (apó-), from the preposition ἀπό (apó, “from, away from”), from the Proto-Indo-European *h₂epo (“off, away”), whence the English words off and of, and ab- (via Latin). Doublet of ab- and off-.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “apo-”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is A-P-O-- - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- 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.