elect

/ɪˈlɛkt/

//ɪˈlɛkt// noun

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

"elect" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“elect” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,782 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#6,782
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - One chosen or set apart.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

elect vs exec
60% similar
elect vs event
60% similar
elect vs exact
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for elect
PropertyValue
Headwordelect
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɪˈlɛkt/
Letters5
Frequency rank#6,782
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “elect” sits in English frequency

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for elect is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪˈlɛkt/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,782 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for elect, with forms such as "eelct", "elcet", and "elecct". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "exec", "event", "exact", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin ēlēctus, past participle of ēligō (“to pick out, choose, elect”), from ē- (“out”) + legō (“to pick out, pick, gather, collect, etc.”); see legend. Cognate to eclectic, which is via Ancient Greek rather than Latin, hence prefix ἐκ (ek), r… The correct English form is elect, spelled E-L-E-C-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    One chosen or set apart.
  2. 2
    In Calvinist theology, one foreordained to Heaven. In other Christian theologies, someone chosen by God for salvation.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ēlēctus, past participle of ēligō (“to pick out, choose, elect”), from ē- (“out”) + legō (“to pick out, pick, gather, collect, etc.”); see legend. Cognate to eclectic, which is via Ancient Greek rather than Latin, hence prefix ἐκ (ek), rather than e- (from ex).

Antonyms

reprobate

This word in other languages

élu(Français)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: eelct,elcet,elecct,electt,eletc,ellect,leect

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of elect - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

eelct2elcet2elecct1electt1eletc2ellect1leect2
Edit distance from "elect"

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 "elect"?
"elect" is spelled E-L-E-C-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈlɛkt/.
What does "elect" mean?
As a noun, "elect" means: One chosen or set apart.
What words are commonly confused with "elect"?
"elect" is commonly confused with "exec", "event", "exact". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "elect"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "elect" is /ɪˈlɛkt/. 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 "elect"?
Borrowed from Latin ēlēctus, past participle of ēligō (“to pick out, choose, elect”), from ē- (“out”) + legō (“to pick out, pick, gather, collect, etc.”); see legend. Cognate to eclectic, which is via Ancient Greek rather than Latin, hence prefix ... 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 “elect”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is E-L-E-C-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪˈlɛkt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “exec” - see the side-by-side comparison. elect vs exec
  • 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