intercede

/ɪntə(ɹ)ˈsiːd/

//ɪntə(ɹ)ˈsiːd// verb

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

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

The verdict

“intercede” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #49,427 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#49,427
frequency rank, English
9
letters
13
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To plead on someone else's behalf.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

intercede vs interred
78% similar
intercede vs interfere
78% similar
intercede vs intervene
78% similar

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

Key facts for intercede
PropertyValue
Headwordintercede
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪntə(ɹ)ˈsiːd/
Letters9
Frequency rank#49,427
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “intercede” 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). intercede 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 intercede is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪntə(ɹ)ˈsiːd/. Corpus data places it at rank #49,427 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 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for intercede, with forms such as "inetrcede", "inntercede", and "intecrede". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 5 confusable-pair relationships, "interred", "interfere", "intervene", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in c. 1570. From Middle French intercéder, from Latin intercēdō, from inter- (“between”) + cēdō (“I go”) (English cede), literally “to (act as) go-between”. The correct English form is intercede, spelled I-N-T-E-R-C-E-D-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To plead on someone else's behalf.
  2. 2
    To act as a mediator in a dispute; to arbitrate or mediate.
  3. 3
    To pass between; to intervene.

Etymology

First attested in c. 1570. From Middle French intercéder, from Latin intercēdō, from inter- (“between”) + cēdō (“I go”) (English cede), literally “to (act as) go-between”.

This word in other languages

interceder(Español)bitten(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: inetrcede,inntercede,intecrede,interccede,intercdee,intercedde,interceed,interecde,interrcede,intrecede,inttercede,itnercede,nitercede

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of intercede - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

inetrcede2inntercede1intecrede2interccede1intercdee2intercedde1interceed2interecde2
Edit distance from "intercede"

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 "intercede"?
"intercede" is spelled I-N-T-E-R-C-E-D-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪntə(ɹ)ˈsiːd/.
What does "intercede" mean?
As a verb, "intercede" means: To plead on someone else's behalf.
What words are commonly confused with "intercede"?
"intercede" is commonly confused with "interred", "interfere", "intervene". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "intercede"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "intercede" is /ɪntə(ɹ)ˈsiːd/. 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 "intercede"?
First attested in c. 1570. From Middle French intercéder, from Latin intercēdō, from inter- (“between”) + cēdō (“I go”) (English cede), literally “to (act as) go-between”. 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 “intercede”

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

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