evangelize

/ɪˈvænd͡ʒəlaɪz/

//ɪˈvænd͡ʒəlaɪz// verb

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

"evangelize" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“evangelize” is uncommon English (frequency #69,035 among 18,836 “E” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#69,035
frequency rank, English
18,836
“E” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To tell people about (a particular branch of) Christianity, especially in order to convert them; to preach the gospel to.

Key facts for evangelize
PropertyValue
Headwordevangelize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪˈvænd͡ʒəlaɪz/
Letters10
Frequency rank#69,035
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “evangelize” 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). evangelize lands here:

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

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

Rare enough to double-check

evangelize is uncommon English at frequency #69,035 among 18,836 “E” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ɪˈvænd͡ʒəlaɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for evangelize in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French évangéliser, equivalent to evangel + -ize, from Late Latin evangelizare, from Ancient Greek εὐαγγελίζω (euangelízō). Displaced native Old English godspellian (literally “to gospel”). The correct English form is evangelize, spelled E-V-A-N-G-E-L-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To tell people about (a particular branch of) Christianity, especially in order to convert them; to preach the gospel to.
  2. 2
    To preach any ideology to those who have not yet been converted to it.
  3. 3
    To be enthusiastic about something, and to attempt to share that enthusiasm with others; to promote.

Etymology

From Old French évangéliser, equivalent to evangel + -ize, from Late Latin evangelizare, from Ancient Greek εὐαγγελίζω (euangelízō). Displaced native Old English godspellian (literally “to gospel”).

This word in other languages

evangelizar(Español)évangéliser(Français)evangelisieren(Deutsch)evangelizar(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 "evangelize"?
"evangelize" is spelled E-V-A-N-G-E-L-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈvænd͡ʒəlaɪz/.
What does "evangelize" mean?
As a verb, "evangelize" means: To tell people about (a particular branch of) Christianity, especially in order to convert them; to preach the gospel to.
How do you pronounce "evangelize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "evangelize" is /ɪˈvænd͡ʒəlaɪz/. 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 "evangelize"?
From Old French évangéliser, equivalent to evangel + -ize, from Late Latin evangelizare, from Ancient Greek εὐαγγελίζω (euangelízō). Displaced native Old English godspellian (literally “to gospel”). 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 “evangelize”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is E-V-A-N-G-E-L-I-Z-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪˈvænd͡ʒəlaɪz/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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