bequeath

/bɪˈkwiːθ/

//bɪˈkwiːθ// verb

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

"bequeath" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“bequeath” is uncommon English (frequency #54,643 among 4,121 “B” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#54,643
frequency rank, English
4,121
“B” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To give or leave by will; to give by testament.

Corpus desk

Index EN-bequeath · bequeath · English

bequeath · rank #54,643 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #54,643
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,121
  • PHOTO-FINISH befuddled

Nearest frequency peer: befuddled (-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.

Long-tail ranks near “bequeath”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “bequeath” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for bequeath
PropertyValue
Headwordbequeath
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/bɪˈkwiːθ/
Letters8
Frequency rank#54,643
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “bequeath” in English

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

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “befuddled” (#54,642), “besieging” (#54,644), “beeline” (#54,641). Among 4,121 “B” headwords, “bequeath” is #54,643. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

bequeath is uncommon English at frequency #54,643 among 4,121 “B” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /bɪˈkwiːθ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for bequeath in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, 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 biquethen, from Old English becweþan (“to say, to speak, to address, exhort, admonish, blame, bequeath, leave by will”), equivalent to be- + quethe. Cognate with Old Frisian biquetha. The correct English form is bequeath, spelled B-E-Q-U-E-A-T-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    To give or leave by will; to give by testament.
  2. 2
    To hand down; to transmit.
  3. 3
    To give; to offer; to commit.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Ownership of manufacturing workshops is not essential to that job; but BR happen to have been bequeathed a considerable number with a proud history.
  2. First Xavier (Vernon Chatman): Looks like I already did. You're the sad figment of my twisted psyche's tragic dividend. You're the un-me. I'm the real me. You wanna be me? Second Xavier (Vernon Chatman): Kiddo, I was the real me when you were still in my short pants. First Xavier: Hate to break it to you, but I wore them first. Me bequeathed thee the psyc…

Etymology

From Middle English biquethen, from Old English becweþan (“to say, to speak, to address, exhort, admonish, blame, bequeath, leave by will”), equivalent to be- + quethe. Cognate with Old Frisian biquetha.

Synonyms

leave

This word in other languages

heredar(Español)léguer(Français)hinterlassen(Deutsch)legar(Português)

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 "bequeath"?
"bequeath" is spelled B-E-Q-U-E-A-T-H. The IPA pronunciation is /bɪˈkwiːθ/.
What does "bequeath" mean?
As a verb, "bequeath" means: To give or leave by will; to give by testament.
How do you pronounce "bequeath"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bequeath" is /bɪˈkwiːθ/. 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 "bequeath"?
From Middle English biquethen, from Old English becweþan (“to say, to speak, to address, exhort, admonish, blame, bequeath, leave by will”), equivalent to be- + quethe. Cognate with Old Frisian biquetha. 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 "bequeath", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

blustery#54,649baccarat#54,633Brittain#54,655buckshot#54,660

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list