archpriest

noun

"archpriest" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“archpriest” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The highest rank given to a married priest.

Key facts for archpriest
PropertyValue
Headwordarchpriest
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “archpriest” sits in English frequency

archpriest falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

archpriest is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for archpriest, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English archepreest, archeprest, archiprest, ercheprest, erchepreste; compare Old French archeprestre and Medieval Latin archipresbyter; equivalent to arch- + priest. Piecewise doublet of archpresbyter. The correct English form is archpriest, spelled A-R-C-H-P-R-I-E-S-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    The highest rank given to a married priest.
  2. 2
    An honorific title applied to a priest who has a specific function.

Etymology

From Middle English archepreest, archeprest, archiprest, ercheprest, erchepreste; compare Old French archeprestre and Medieval Latin archipresbyter; equivalent to arch- + priest. Piecewise doublet of archpresbyter.

Synonyms

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

How do you spell "archpriest"?
"archpriest" is spelled A-R-C-H-P-R-I-E-S-T.
What does "archpriest" mean?
As a noun, "archpriest" means: The highest rank given to a married priest.
What is the origin of the word "archpriest"?
From Middle English archepreest, archeprest, archiprest, ercheprest, erchepreste; compare Old French archeprestre and Medieval Latin archipresbyter; equivalent to arch- + priest. Piecewise doublet of archpresbyter. 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 “archpriest”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is A-R-C-H-P-R-I-E-S-T - 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list