beknow

verb

"beknow" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“beknow” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To know about; have knowledge of; recognise; understand; be aware (of); be knowledgeable about.

Key facts for beknow
PropertyValue
Headwordbeknow
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “beknow” sits in English frequency

beknow 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.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for beknow is 6 letters long, classified as a verb. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

beknow has no tracked misspelling variants, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English beknowen, biknowen, from Old English becnāwan (“to know, know about”), equivalent to be- + know. Cognate with Old High German bichnāan (“to recognise, see”). The correct English form is beknow, spelled B-E-K-N-O-W.

Definition

  1. 1
    To know about; have knowledge of; recognise; understand; be aware (of); be knowledgeable about.
  2. 2
    To acknowledge; own; confess.

Etymology

From Middle English beknowen, biknowen, from Old English becnāwan (“to know, know about”), equivalent to be- + know. Cognate with Old High German bichnāan (“to recognise, see”).

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 "beknow"?
"beknow" is spelled B-E-K-N-O-W.
What does "beknow" mean?
As a verb, "beknow" means: To know about; have knowledge of; recognise; understand; be aware (of); be knowledgeable about.
What is the origin of the word "beknow"?
From Middle English beknowen, biknowen, from Old English becnāwan (“to know, know about”), equivalent to be- + know. Cognate with Old High German bichnāan (“to recognise, see”). 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 “beknow”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is B-E-K-N-O-W - 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list