elope

/ɪˈləʊp/

//ɪˈləʊp// verb

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

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

The verdict

“elope” is an uncommon English word, ranked #52,921 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#52,921
frequency rank, English
5
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Of a married or engaged person, to run away from home with a paramour.

Key facts for elope
PropertyValue
Headwordelope
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪˈləʊp/
Letters5
Frequency rank#52,921
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “elope” 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). elope 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 elope is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪˈləʊp/. Corpus data places it at rank #52,921 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for elope in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Anglo-Norman aloper (“to abduct, run away”), itself borrowed from Proto-West Germanic *andihlaupan (“to run away”). Equivalent to and- + lope as well as and- + leap (these being doublets). More at lope. The correct English form is elope, spelled E-L-O-P-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of a married or engaged person, to run away from home with a paramour.
  2. 2
    Of an unmarried person, to run away secretly for the purpose of getting married with one's intended spouse; to marry in a quick or private fashion, especially without a public period of engagement.
  3. 3
    To run away from home (for any reason).

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman aloper (“to abduct, run away”), itself borrowed from Proto-West Germanic *andihlaupan (“to run away”). Equivalent to and- + lope as well as and- + leap (these being doublets). More at lope.

This word in other languages

arrancarse(Español)s'enfuir(Français)durchbrennen(Deutsch)fugir(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 "elope"?
"elope" is spelled E-L-O-P-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈləʊp/.
What does "elope" mean?
As a verb, "elope" means: Of a married or engaged person, to run away from home with a paramour.
How do you pronounce "elope"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "elope" is /ɪˈləʊp/. 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 "elope"?
From Anglo-Norman aloper (“to abduct, run away”), itself borrowed from Proto-West Germanic *andihlaupan (“to run away”). Equivalent to and- + lope as well as and- + leap (these being doublets). More at lope. 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 “elope”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is E-L-O-P-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪˈləʊp/ (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