exegete

/ˈɛksɪˌdʒiːt/

//ˈɛksɪˌdʒiːt// noun

"exegete" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“exegete” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A person skilled in exegesis; an interpreter of texts, difficult passages, law, oracles, and similar obscure or esoteric sources.

Corpus desk

Index EN-exegete · exegete · English

exegete · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "E" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for exegete
PropertyValue
Headwordexegete
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɛksɪˌdʒiːt/
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “exegete” in English

exegetefalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

exegete is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈɛksɪˌdʒiːt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A person skilled in exegesis; an interpreter of texts, difficult passages, law, oracles, and similar obscure or esoteric sources.".

No misspelling variants are generated for exegete in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. Our dataset records no confusable match here, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Ancient Greek ἐξηγητής (exēgētḗs, “expounder, interpreter”). The correct English form is exegete, spelled E-X-E-G-E-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A person skilled in exegesis; an interpreter of texts, difficult passages, law, oracles, and similar obscure or esoteric sources.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how exegete appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. A text that could not speak to the present was dead, and the exegete had a duty to revive it.
  2. In Plato's state all three exegetes will be selected by Apollo. This is contrary to the practice of Hellenistic times, according to the evidence so ably marshaled by Oliver, when only two of the exegetes were named by the oracle.

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἐξηγητής (exēgētḗs, “expounder, interpreter”).

This word in other languages

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

How do you spell "exegete"?
"exegete" is spelled E-X-E-G-E-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɛksɪˌdʒiːt/.
What does "exegete" mean?
As a noun, "exegete" means: A person skilled in exegesis; an interpreter of texts, difficult passages, law, oracles, and similar obscure or esoteric sources.
How do you pronounce "exegete"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "exegete" is /ˈɛksɪˌdʒiːt/. 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 "exegete"?
From Ancient Greek ἐξηγητής (exēgētḗs, “expounder, interpreter”). 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.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list