exception

/əkˈsɛpʃən/

//əkˈsɛpʃən// noun

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

"exception" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“exception” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,942 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#3,942
frequency rank, English
9
letters
14
tracked misspellings
6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of excepting or excluding; exclusion; restriction by taking out something which would otherwise be included, as in a class, statement, rule.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

exception vs exertion
78% similar
exception vs exemption
78% similar
exception vs excretion
78% similar

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

Key facts for exception
PropertyValue
Headwordexception
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/əkˈsɛpʃən/
Letters9
Frequency rank#3,942
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs6
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “exception” 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). exception 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 exception is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əkˈsɛpʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,942 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for exception, with forms such as "ecxeption", "excception", and "excepiton". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 6 confusable-pair relationships, "exertion", "exemption", "excretion", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English exception, excepcioun, from Anglo-Norman excepcioun, from Old French excepcion, from Latin exceptiō. Equivalent to except + -ion. The correct English form is exception, spelled E-X-C-E-P-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of excepting or excluding; exclusion; restriction by taking out something which would otherwise be included, as in a class, statement, rule.
  2. 2
    That which is excluded from others; a person, thing, or case, specified as distinct, or not included.
  3. 3
    An objection, on legal grounds; also, as in conveyancing, a clause by which the grantor excepts or reserves something before the right is transferred.
  4. 4
    An objection; cavil; dissent; disapprobation; offense; cause of offense.
  5. 5
    An interruption in normal processing, typically caused by an error condition, that can be raised ("thrown") by one part of the program and handled ("caught") by another part.

Etymology

From Middle English exception, excepcioun, from Anglo-Norman excepcioun, from Old French excepcion, from Latin exceptiō. Equivalent to except + -ion.

This word in other languages

excepción(Español)exception(Français)Ausnahme(Deutsch)exceção(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ecxeption,excception,excepiton,excepption,excepsion,exceptino,exceptionn,exceptoin,excepttion,excetpion,excpetion,execption,exxception,xeception

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of exception - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ecxeption2excception1excepiton2excepption1excepsion1exceptino2exceptionn1exceptoin2
Edit distance from "exception"

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 "exception"?
"exception" is spelled E-X-C-E-P-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /əkˈsɛpʃən/.
What does "exception" mean?
As a noun, "exception" means: The act of excepting or excluding; exclusion; restriction by taking out something which would otherwise be included, as in a class, statement, rule.
What words are commonly confused with "exception"?
"exception" is commonly confused with "exertion", "exemption", "excretion". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "exception"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "exception" is /əkˈsɛpʃən/. 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 "exception"?
From Middle English exception, excepcioun, from Anglo-Norman excepcioun, from Old French excepcion, from Latin exceptiō. Equivalent to except + -ion. 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 “exception”

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

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