epitaph
/ˈɛp.ɪˌtɑːf/
"epitaph" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“epitaph” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #35,709 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #35,709
- frequency rank, English
- 7
- letters
- 10
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An inscription on a gravestone in memory of the deceased.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | epitaph |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈɛp.ɪˌtɑːf/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Frequency rank | #35,709 |
| Misspellings tracked | 10 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “epitaph” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for epitaph is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɛp.ɪˌtɑːf/. Corpus data places it at rank #35,709 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for epitaph, with forms such as "eiptaph", "epiatph", and "epitahp". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French epitafe, from Late Latin epitaphium (“eulogy”), from Ancient Greek ἐπιτάφιος (epitáphios, “relating to a funeral”), from ἐπί (epí, “over”) + τάφος (táphos, “tomb”). By surface analysis epi- + -taph. The correct English form is epitaph, spelled E-P-I-T-A-P-H.
Definition
- 1An inscription on a gravestone in memory of the deceased.
- 2A poem or other short text written in memory of a deceased person.
Etymology
From Old French epitafe, from Late Latin epitaphium (“eulogy”), from Ancient Greek ἐπιτάφιος (epitáphios, “relating to a funeral”), from ἐπί (epí, “over”) + τάφος (táphos, “tomb”). By surface analysis epi- + -taph.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: eiptaph,epiatph,epitahp,epitaphh,epitapph,epitpah,epittaph,eppitaph,eptiaph,peitaph
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of epitaph - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.
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 "epitaph"?
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Using “epitaph”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is E-P-I-T-A-P-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈɛp.ɪˌtɑːf/ (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.