Midrash

/ˈmɪdrɑːʃ/

//ˈmɪdrɑːʃ// noun

"midrash" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Midrash” is uncommon English (frequency #63,082 among 4,057 “M” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#63,082
frequency rank, English
4,057
“M” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A Rabbinic commentary on a text from the Hebrew Scripture.

Corpus desk

Index EN-midrash · Midrash · English

Midrash · rank #63,082 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #63,082
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,057
  • PHOTO-FINISH mfr

Nearest frequency peer: mfr (-2 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.

Long-tail ranks near “Midrash”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “Midrash” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for Midrash
PropertyValue
HeadwordMidrash
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈmɪdrɑːʃ/
Letters7
Frequency rank#63,082
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “Midrash” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).Midrashfalls in this rarity band:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “mfr” (#63,080), “monad” (#63,086), “Moneyball” (#63,087). Among 4,057 “M” headwords, “Midrash” is #63,082. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

Midrash is uncommon English at frequency #63,082 among 4,057 “M” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈmɪdrɑːʃ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for Midrash, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Hebrew מִדְרָשׁ (midrásh, “Midrash”), in turn from Aramaic דרש. The correct English form is Midrash, spelled M-I-D-R-A-S-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    A Rabbinic commentary on a text from the Hebrew Scripture.
  2. 2
    The Rabbinic technique or tradition of such exegesis.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. In other stories of the midrashim, Adam, in penance for his fall, abstains from sexuality for 130 years, but he is not able to control his nocturnal emissions; in his dream state female spirits, the succubae, come and have intercourse with him, and with Adam's seed they give birth to demons.
  2. Midrash was not a purely intellectual pursuit and study was never an end in itself: it had to inspire practical action in the world.

Etymology

From Hebrew מִדְרָשׁ (midrásh, “Midrash”), in turn from Aramaic דרש.

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); 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 "Midrash"?
"Midrash" is spelled M-I-D-R-A-S-H. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmɪdrɑːʃ/.
What does "Midrash" mean?
As a noun, "Midrash" means: A Rabbinic commentary on a text from the Hebrew Scripture.
How do you pronounce "Midrash"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Midrash" is /ˈmɪdrɑːʃ/. 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 "Midrash"?
From Hebrew מִדְרָשׁ (midrásh, “Midrash”), in turn from Aramaic דרש. 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 "Midrash", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list