hypostasis

/haɪˈpɒstəsɪs/

//haɪˈpɒstəsɪs// noun

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

The verdict

“hypostasis” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A sedimentary deposit, especially in urine.

Key facts for hypostasis
PropertyValue
Headwordhypostasis
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/haɪˈpɒstəsɪs/
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “hypostasis” sits in English frequency

hypostasis falls 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.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for hypostasis is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /haɪˈpɒstəsɪs/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for hypostasis, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Ecclesiastical Latin hypostasis, from Ancient Greek ὑπόστασις (hupóstasis, “sediment, foundation; substance, existence, essence”), from ὑπό (hupó, “under”) + στάσις (stásis, “standing”). Morphologically hypo- + -stasis. The correct English form is hypostasis, spelled H-Y-P-O-S-T-A-S-I-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    A sedimentary deposit, especially in urine.
  2. 2
    The essential person, specifically the single person of Christ (as distinguished from his two ‘natures’, human and divine), or of the three ‘persons’ of the Trinity (sharing a single ‘essence’).
  3. 3
    The underlying reality or substance of something.
  4. 4
    The underlying reality or substance of something.
  5. 5
    The underlying reality or substance of something.
  6. 6
    The effect of one gene preventing another from expressing.
  7. 7
    Postmortem lividity; livor mortis; suggillation.

Etymology

From Ecclesiastical Latin hypostasis, from Ancient Greek ὑπόστασις (hupóstasis, “sediment, foundation; substance, existence, essence”), from ὑπό (hupó, “under”) + στάσις (stásis, “standing”). Morphologically hypo- + -stasis.

Synonyms

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 "hypostasis"?
"hypostasis" is spelled H-Y-P-O-S-T-A-S-I-S. The IPA pronunciation is /haɪˈpɒstəsɪs/.
What does "hypostasis" mean?
As a noun, "hypostasis" means: A sedimentary deposit, especially in urine.
How do you pronounce "hypostasis"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hypostasis" is /haɪˈpɒstəsɪs/. 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 "hypostasis"?
From Ecclesiastical Latin hypostasis, from Ancient Greek ὑπόστασις (hupóstasis, “sediment, foundation; substance, existence, essence”), from ὑπό (hupó, “under”) + στάσις (stásis, “standing”). Morphologically hypo- + -stasis. 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 “hypostasis”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is H-Y-P-O-S-T-A-S-I-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /haɪˈpɒstəsɪs/ (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