intersect

/ɪntəˈsɛkt/

//ɪntəˈsɛkt// verb

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

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

The verdict

“intersect” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #22,708. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#22,708
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To cut into or between; to cut or cross mutually; to divide into parts.

Corpus desk

Index EN-intersect · intersect · English

intersect · rank #22,708 · 14 variants · 7 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #22,708
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 7 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH indulgence

Nearest frequency peer: indulgence (-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 “intersect”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “intersect” 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).

intersect vs intersex
78% similar
intersect vs interest
78% similar
intersect vs internet
78% similar

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

Key facts for intersect
PropertyValue
Headwordintersect
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪntəˈsɛkt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#22,708
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs7
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “intersect”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).intersectlands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “indulgence” (#22,707), “impromptu” (#22,706), “iodine” (#22,710). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “intersect” is #22,708. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around intersect (IPA /ɪntəˈsɛkt/), averb. Corpus frequency is #22,708 among 2,140 “I” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for intersect, with forms such as "inetrsect", "inntersect", and "interesct". 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 7 confusable-pair relationships, "intersex", "interest", "internet", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin intersecare (“to cut between, cut off”), from inter (“between”) + secare (“to cut”). The correct English form is intersect, spelled I-N-T-E-R-S-E-C-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To cut into or between; to cut or cross mutually; to divide into parts.
  2. 2
    Of two sets, to have at least one element in common.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Parallel lines don't intersect.
  2. Any two diameters of a circle intersect each other at the centre.

Etymology

From Latin intersecare (“to cut between, cut off”), from inter (“between”) + secare (“to cut”).

This word in other languages

intersecter(Français)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • inetrsect
  • inntersect
  • interesct
  • interrsect
  • interscet
  • intersecct
  • intersectt
  • intersetc
  • interssect
  • intesrect
  • intresect
  • inttersect
  • itnersect
  • nitersect

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

inetrsect2inntersect1interesct2interrsect1interscet2intersecct1intersectt1intersetc2
Edit distance from "intersect"

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 "intersect"?
"intersect" is spelled I-N-T-E-R-S-E-C-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪntəˈsɛkt/.
What does "intersect" mean?
As a verb, "intersect" means: To cut into or between; to cut or cross mutually; to divide into parts.
What words are commonly confused with "intersect"?
"intersect" is commonly confused with "intersex", "interest", "internet". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "intersect"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "intersect" is /ɪntəˈsɛkt/. 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 "intersect"?
From Latin intersecare (“to cut between, cut off”), from inter (“between”) + secare (“to cut”). 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 "intersect", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

impromptu#22,706kilometer#22,717hammering#22,698gymnasium#22,697

Similar misspelling depth

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

Harrisburg14 variantsglittering14 variantsFremantle14 variantsdystopian14 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list