intellect

/ˈɪntəlɛkt/

//ˈɪntəlɛkt// noun

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

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

The verdict

“intellect” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #15,195 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#15,195
frequency rank, English
9
letters
12
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The faculty of thinking, judging, abstract reasoning, and conceptual understanding; the cognitive faculty.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

intellect vs intersect
78% similar

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

Key facts for intellect
PropertyValue
Headwordintellect
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɪntəlɛkt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#15,195
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “intellect” 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). intellect 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 intellect is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɪntəlɛkt/. Corpus data places it at rank #15,195 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for intellect, with forms such as "inetllect", "inntellect", and "intelect". 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, "intersect", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Late Latin intellēctus (“understanding, intellect”), from Latin intellegō (“understand; reason”), from inter (“between, among”) + legō (“read”), with connotation of bind. The correct English form is intellect, spelled I-N-T-E-L-L-E-C-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    The faculty of thinking, judging, abstract reasoning, and conceptual understanding; the cognitive faculty.
  2. 2
    The capacity of that faculty (in a particular person).
  3. 3
    A person who has that faculty to a great degree.

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin intellēctus (“understanding, intellect”), from Latin intellegō (“understand; reason”), from inter (“between, among”) + legō (“read”), with connotation of bind.

This word in other languages

intelecto(Español)intellect(Français)Intellekt(Deutsch)intelecto(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: inetllect,inntellect,intelect,intelelct,intellcet,intellecct,intellectt,intelletc,intlelect,inttellect,itnellect,nitellect

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

inetllect2inntellect1intelect1intelelct2intellcet2intellecct1intellectt1intelletc2
Edit distance from "intellect"

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 "intellect"?
"intellect" is spelled I-N-T-E-L-L-E-C-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɪntəlɛkt/.
What does "intellect" mean?
As a noun, "intellect" means: The faculty of thinking, judging, abstract reasoning, and conceptual understanding; the cognitive faculty.
What words are commonly confused with "intellect"?
"intellect" is commonly confused with "intersect". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "intellect"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "intellect" is /ˈɪntəlɛkt/. 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 "intellect"?
Borrowed from Late Latin intellēctus (“understanding, intellect”), from Latin intellegō (“understand; reason”), from inter (“between, among”) + legō (“read”), with connotation of bind. 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 “intellect”

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

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