Ishmaelite

/ˈɪʃ.meɪ.əˌlaɪt/

//ˈɪʃ.meɪ.əˌlaɪt// noun

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

The verdict

“Ishmaelite” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Any descendant of Ishmael.

Corpus desk

Index EN-ishmaelite · Ishmaelite · English

Ishmaelite · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "I" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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.

Key facts for Ishmaelite
PropertyValue
HeadwordIshmaelite
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɪʃ.meɪ.əˌlaɪt/
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “Ishmaelite” in English

Ishmaelitefalls 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.

Rare enough to double-check

Ishmaelite is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈɪʃ.meɪ.əˌlaɪt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for Ishmaelite in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Ishmael + -ite. The correct English form is Ishmaelite, spelled I-S-H-M-A-E-L-I-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Any descendant of Ishmael.
  2. 2
    An outcast.
  3. 3
    An Arab Muslim.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. The Apocalypse of Pseudo-Shenute is not the oldest surviving work to allege that the Muslim “Ishmaelites” were interested in restoring the biblical Temple. That distinction belongs to the History of Sebeos, which, as we observed in chapter 2, portrays Jews as the driving force behind the Muslim conquest of Jerusalem. This mid-seventh-century chronicle ass…

Etymology

From Ishmael + -ite.

Synonyms

child of Ishmael

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 "Ishmaelite"?
"Ishmaelite" is spelled I-S-H-M-A-E-L-I-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɪʃ.meɪ.əˌlaɪt/.
What does "Ishmaelite" mean?
As a noun, "Ishmaelite" means: Any descendant of Ishmael.
How do you pronounce "Ishmaelite"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Ishmaelite" is /ˈɪʃ.meɪ.əˌlaɪt/. 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 "Ishmaelite"?
From Ishmael + -ite. 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list