kepi

/ˈkɛpi/

//ˈkɛpi// noun

"kepi" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency English
4
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A cap with a flat circular top and a visor, particularly associated with French uniforms.

Corpus desk

Index EN-kepi · kepi · English

kepi · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MID 4 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "K" 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 kepi
PropertyValue
Headwordkepi
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɛpi/
Letters4
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “kepi” in English

kepifalls 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

kepi is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈkɛpi/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A cap with a flat circular top and a visor, particularly associated with French uniforms.".

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for kepi, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French képi, from Switzerland German Käppi, diminutive of Kappe, from Middle High German kappe, from Old High German kappa, from Latin cappa. Akin to English cap. The correct English form is kepi, spelled K-E-P-I.

Definition

  1. 1
    A cap with a flat circular top and a visor, particularly associated with French uniforms.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Appleby[…]rose from his seat when Morales came in. He shook hands urbanely, unbuckled his sword, and laid his kepi on the table, and then sat down with an expression of concern in his olive face which Appleby fancied was assumed.
  2. Rather should it be said that these ladies wore dress of military style, since there was nothing uniform about their outfits, one being in powder-blue with silver buttons and a forage-cap, the other in tan with gold buttons and the dinkiest of red-peaked kepis.

Etymology

From French képi, from Switzerland German Käppi, diminutive of Kappe, from Middle High German kappe, from Old High German kappa, from Latin cappa. Akin to English cap.

This word in other languages

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 "kepi"?
"kepi" is spelled K-E-P-I. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɛpi/.
What does "kepi" mean?
As a noun, "kepi" means: A cap with a flat circular top and a visor, particularly associated with French uniforms.
How do you pronounce "kepi"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "kepi" is /ˈkɛpi/. 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 "kepi"?
From French képi, from Switzerland German Käppi, diminutive of Kappe, from Middle High German kappe, from Old High German kappa, from Latin cappa. Akin to English cap. 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