bethink

/bɪˈθɪŋk/

//bɪˈθɪŋk// verb

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

"bethink" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“bethink” 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
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To think about, to recollect.

Key facts for bethink
PropertyValue
Headwordbethink
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/bɪˈθɪŋk/
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “bethink” sits in English frequency

bethink 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 bethink is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /bɪˈθɪŋk/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

bethink doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English bethenken, bithenchen (“to think about, consider”) from Old English beþenċan, biþenċan (“to think upon, remind, consider, remember”), from Proto-Germanic *biþankijaną; equivalent to be- + think. Akin to Old High German pidenchan (German … The correct English form is bethink, spelled B-E-T-H-I-N-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    To think about, to recollect.
  2. 2
    To think of (something or somebody) or that (followed by clause); to remind oneself, to consider, to reflect upon.
  3. 3
    To meditate, ponder; to consider.
  4. 4
    To determine, resolve.

Etymology

From Middle English bethenken, bithenchen (“to think about, consider”) from Old English beþenċan, biþenċan (“to think upon, remind, consider, remember”), from Proto-Germanic *biþankijaną; equivalent to be- + think. Akin to Old High German pidenchan (German bedenken), Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌸𐌰𐌲𐌺𐌾𐌰𐌽 (biþagkjan), Dutch bedenken.

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 "bethink"?
"bethink" is spelled B-E-T-H-I-N-K. The IPA pronunciation is /bɪˈθɪŋk/.
What does "bethink" mean?
As a verb, "bethink" means: To think about, to recollect.
How do you pronounce "bethink"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bethink" is /bɪˈθɪŋk/. 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 "bethink"?
From Middle English bethenken, bithenchen (“to think about, consider”) from Old English beþenċan, biþenċan (“to think upon, remind, consider, remember”), from Proto-Germanic *biþankijaną; equivalent to be- + think. Akin to Old High German pidencha... 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 “bethink”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is B-E-T-H-I-N-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /bɪˈθɪŋk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • 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