interceptor

noun

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

"interceptor" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“interceptor” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #34,940 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#34,940
frequency rank, English
11
letters
17
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Anyone or anything that intercepts something else.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

interceptor vs intercept
82% similar
interceptor vs interception
83% similar

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

Key facts for interceptor
PropertyValue
Headwordinterceptor
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters11
Frequency rank#34,940
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “interceptor” 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). interceptor 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 interceptor is 11 letters long, classified as a noun. Corpus data places it at rank #34,940 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 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for interceptor, with forms such as "inetrceptor", "innterceptor", and "intecreptor". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "intercept", "interception", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From intercept + -or. The correct English form is interceptor, spelled I-N-T-E-R-C-E-P-T-O-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Anyone or anything that intercepts something else.
  2. 2
    A combat aircraft designed to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft before they can attack.
  3. 3
    A guided missile designed to intercept and destroy enemy missiles.
  4. 4
    A device to trap, remove, or separate hazardous or undesirable matter (such as oil or sand) from normal waste conveyed through it, permitting normal sewage or liquid wastes to discharge into the disposal terminal by gravity.
  5. 5
    A hook routine that intercepts normal program flow to carry out a task.
  6. 6
    A sewer that intercepts sewerage destined for an outfall (e.g. into a river) and redirects it to a treatment plant.

Etymology

From intercept + -or.

This word in other languages

intercepteur(Français)Abfangjäger(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: inetrceptor,innterceptor,intecreptor,intercceptor,intercepotr,intercepptor,interceptorr,interceptro,intercepttor,intercetpor,intercpetor,interecptor,interrceptor,intreceptor,intterceptor,itnerceptor,niterceptor

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

inetrceptor2innterceptor1intecreptor2intercceptor1intercepotr2intercepptor1interceptorr1interceptro2
Edit distance from "interceptor"

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 "interceptor"?
"interceptor" is spelled I-N-T-E-R-C-E-P-T-O-R.
What does "interceptor" mean?
As a noun, "interceptor" means: Anyone or anything that intercepts something else.
What words are commonly confused with "interceptor"?
"interceptor" is commonly confused with "intercept", "interception". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
What is the origin of the word "interceptor"?
From intercept + -or. 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 “interceptor”

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-P-T-O-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Don't mix it up with “intercept” - see the side-by-side comparison. interceptor vs intercept
  • 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