gatekeeper

/ˈɡeɪt.kiː.pə/

//ˈɡeɪt.kiː.pə// noun

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

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

The verdict

“gatekeeper” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #37,466 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#37,466
frequency rank, English
10
letters
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A person or group who controls access to something or somebody.

Key facts for gatekeeper
PropertyValue
Headwordgatekeeper
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɡeɪt.kiː.pə/
Letters10
Frequency rank#37,466
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “gatekeeper” 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). gatekeeper 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 gatekeeper is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɡeɪt.kiː.pə/. Corpus data places it at rank #37,466 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 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 gatekeeper, with forms such as "agtekeeper", "gaetkeeper", and "gateekeper". 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. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From gate + keeper. The correct English form is gatekeeper, spelled G-A-T-E-K-E-E-P-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A person or group who controls access to something or somebody.
  2. 2
    A person who guards or monitors passage through a gate.
  3. 3
    A common orange and brown butterfly with eyespots, Pyronia tithonus, of the family Nymphalidae.
  4. 4
    In dissociative identity disorder, an aspect of the personality that controls access to the various identities.
  5. 5
    One who gatekeeps.
  6. 6
    A provider of core platform services with specific characteristics (Regulation (EU) 2022/1925 of the European Parliament and of the Council)

Etymology

From gate + keeper.

This word in other languages

portero(Español)gardien(Français)Torwächter(Deutsch)porteira(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: agtekeeper,gaetkeeper,gateekeper,gatekeeepr,gatekeeperr,gatekeepper,gatekeepre,gatekepeer,gatekeper,gatekkeeper,gatkeeeper,gattekeeper,ggatekeeper,gtaekeeper

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of gatekeeper - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

agtekeeper2gaetkeeper2gateekeper2gatekeeepr2gatekeeperr1gatekeepper1gatekeepre2gatekepeer2
Edit distance from "gatekeeper"

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 "gatekeeper"?
"gatekeeper" is spelled G-A-T-E-K-E-E-P-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɡeɪt.kiː.pə/.
What does "gatekeeper" mean?
As a noun, "gatekeeper" means: A person or group who controls access to something or somebody.
What are common misspellings of "gatekeeper"?
Common misspellings include "agtekeeper", "gaetkeeper", "gateekeper", "gatekeeepr", "gatekeeperr". The correct spelling is "gatekeeper".
How do you pronounce "gatekeeper"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "gatekeeper" is /ˈɡeɪt.kiː.pə/. 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 "gatekeeper"?
From gate + keeper. 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 “gatekeeper”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is G-A-T-E-K-E-E-P-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɡeɪt.kiː.pə/ (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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list