egad

/iːˈɡæd/

//iːˈɡæd// intj

"egad" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“egad” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as an interjection - 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) - A mild exclamation of contempt, surprise, outrage, etc.

Key facts for egad
PropertyValue
Headwordegad
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechInterjection
IPA/iːˈɡæd/
Letters4
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “egad” sits in English frequency

egad 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 egad is 4 letters long, classified as an interjection, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /iːˈɡæd/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "A mild exclamation of contempt, surprise, outrage, etc.".

No misspelling variants are generated for egad in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: A modification of by God. The correct English form is egad, spelled E-G-A-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    A mild exclamation of contempt, surprise, outrage, etc.

Etymology

A modification of by God.

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 "egad"?
"egad" is spelled E-G-A-D. The IPA pronunciation is /iːˈɡæd/.
What does "egad" mean?
As an interjection, "egad" means: A mild exclamation of contempt, surprise, outrage, etc.
How do you pronounce "egad"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "egad" is /iːˈɡæd/. 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 "egad"?
A modification of by God. 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 “egad”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is E-G-A-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /iːˈɡæd/ (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