epistrophe
/ɪˈpɪstrəfi/
"epistrophe" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“epistrophe” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 10
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The repetition of the same word or words at the end of successive phrases, clauses or sentences.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | epistrophe |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ɪˈpɪstrəfi/ |
| Letters | 10 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “epistrophe” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
epistrophe is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ɪˈpɪstrəfi/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.
Zero misspellings are on record for epistrophe in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin epistrophē, itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek ἐπιστροφή (epistrophḗ). The correct English form is epistrophe, spelled E-P-I-S-T-R-O-P-H-E.
Definition
- 1The repetition of the same word or words at the end of successive phrases, clauses or sentences.
- 2An arrangement of chlorophyll grains on the outer surface of plant cells, as opposed to apostrophe (an arrangement at right angles to the surface).
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin epistrophē, itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek ἐπιστροφή (epistrophḗ).
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
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Using “epistrophe”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is E-P-I-S-T-R-O-P-H-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ɪˈpɪstrəfi/ (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.