hypocrite

/ˈhɪ.pə.kɹɪt/

//ˈhɪ.pə.kɹɪt// noun

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

The verdict

“hypocrite” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #17,162. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#17,162
frequency rank, English
2,646
“H” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Someone who practices hypocrisy, who pretends to hold beliefs, or whose actions are not consistent with their claimed beliefs.

Corpus desk

Index EN-hypocrite · hypocrite · English

hypocrite · rank #17,162 · 14 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #17,162
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,646
  • PHOTO-FINISH hubs

Nearest frequency peer: hubs (-1 rank slots)

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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “hypocrite”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “hypocrite” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

hypocrite vs hypocrisy
78% similar

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

Key facts for hypocrite
PropertyValue
Headwordhypocrite
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhɪ.pə.kɹɪt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#17,162
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “hypocrite”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).hypocritelands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “hubs” (#17,161), “incorporation” (#17,163), “insure” (#17,164). Among 2,646 “H” headwords, “hypocrite” is #17,162. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around hypocrite (IPA /ˈhɪ.pə.kɹɪt/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #17,162 among 2,646 “H” headwords. Dominant gloss: "Someone who practices hypocrisy, who pretends to hold beliefs, or whose actions are not consistent with their claimed beliefs.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for hypocrite, with forms such as "hhypocrite", "hpyocrite", and "hyopcrite". 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. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "hypocrisy", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French ypocrite (Modern French hypocrite), from Latin hypocrita, from Ancient Greek ὑποκριτής (hupokritḗs, “actor, hypocrite”), from ὑποκρίνομαι (hupokrínomai, “I answer, act, feign”). Displaced native Old English līċettere. The correct English form is hypocrite, spelled H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Someone who practices hypocrisy, who pretends to hold beliefs, or whose actions are not consistent with their claimed beliefs.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
  2. [S]he was one of your ſoft ſpoken, canting, whining hypocrites, who with a truly jeſuitical art, could wreſt evil out of the moſt inoffenſive thought, word, look or action; […]

Etymology

From Old French ypocrite (Modern French hypocrite), from Latin hypocrita, from Ancient Greek ὑποκριτής (hupokritḗs, “actor, hypocrite”), from ὑποκρίνομαι (hupokrínomai, “I answer, act, feign”). Displaced native Old English līċettere.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • hhypocrite
  • hpyocrite
  • hyopcrite
  • hypcorite
  • hypoccrite
  • hypocirte
  • hypocriet
  • hypocritte
  • hypocrrite
  • hypocrtie
  • hyporcite
  • hyppocrite
  • hyypocrite
  • yhpocrite

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of hypocrite - 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.

hhypocrite1hpyocrite2hyopcrite2hypcorite2hypoccrite1hypocirte2hypocriet2hypocritte1
Edit distance from "hypocrite"

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 "hypocrite"?
"hypocrite" is spelled H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɪ.pə.kɹɪt/.
What does "hypocrite" mean?
As a noun, "hypocrite" means: Someone who practices hypocrisy, who pretends to hold beliefs, or whose actions are not consistent with their claimed beliefs.
What words are commonly confused with "hypocrite"?
"hypocrite" is commonly confused with "hypocrisy". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "hypocrite"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hypocrite" is /ˈhɪ.pə.kɹɪt/. 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 "hypocrite"?
From Old French ypocrite (Modern French hypocrite), from Latin hypocrita, from Ancient Greek ὑποκριτής (hupokritḗs, “actor, hypocrite”), from ὑποκρίνομαι (hupokrínomai, “I answer, act, feign”). Displaced native Old English līċettere. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "hypocrite", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list