elapse

/ɪˈlæps/

//ɪˈlæps// verb

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

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

The verdict

“elapse” is uncommon English (frequency #91,465 among 2,246 “E” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#91,465
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To pass or move by.

Corpus desk

Index EN-elapse · elapse · English

elapse · rank #91,465 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #91,465
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH Ehrenreich

Nearest frequency peer: Ehrenreich (-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 “elapse”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

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

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for elapse
PropertyValue
Headwordelapse
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪˈlæps/
Letters6
Frequency rank#91,465
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “elapse” 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).elapsefalls in this rarity band:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “Ehrenreich” (#91,464), “Egyptologist” (#91,463), “ellipsoidal” (#91,468). Among 2,246 “E” headwords, “elapse” is #91,465. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

elapse is uncommon English at frequency #91,465 among 2,246 “E” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ɪˈlæps/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "To pass or move by.".

Zero misspellings are on record for elapse in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. 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 French elapser, from Latin elapsus. The correct English form is elapse, spelled E-L-A-P-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To pass or move by.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. He allowed a month to elapse before beginning the work.
  2. Several days elapsed before they met again.

Etymology

From Middle French elapser, from Latin elapsus.

Synonyms

elapsego bygogo pastpasspass byroll on

This word in other languages

transcurrir(Español)se passer(Français)vergehen(Deutsch)passar(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 "elapse"?
"elapse" is spelled E-L-A-P-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈlæps/.
What does "elapse" mean?
As a verb, "elapse" means: To pass or move by.
How do you pronounce "elapse"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "elapse" is /ɪˈlæps/. 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 "elapse"?
From Middle French elapser, from Latin elapsus. 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 "elapse", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

endive#91,470faired#91,486faller#91,487fennec#91,495

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list