parse

/pɑːz/

//pɑːz// verb

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

"parse" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“parse” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #29,782 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#29,782
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To resolve (a sentence, etc.) into its elements, pointing out the several parts of speech, and their relation to each other by agreement or government; to analyze and describe grammatically.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

parse vs pas
60% similar
parse vs PRS
0% similar
parse vs part
60% similar

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

Key facts for parse
PropertyValue
Headwordparse
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/pɑːz/
Letters5
Frequency rank#29,782
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “parse” 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). parse 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 parse is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /pɑːz/. Corpus data places it at rank #29,782 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for parse, with forms such as "aprse", "pares", and "parrse". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "pas", "PRS", "part", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Possibly from Middle English pars (“parts, shares; parts of speech, grammar”), from Old French pars (plural of part (“part, portion, share”)), from Latin pars (“part, piece, share”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“to carry forth; to sell”). The correct English form is parse, spelled P-A-R-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To resolve (a sentence, etc.) into its elements, pointing out the several parts of speech, and their relation to each other by agreement or government; to analyze and describe grammatically.
  2. 2
    To examine closely; to scrutinize.
  3. 3
    To split (a file or other input) into pieces of data that can be easily manipulated or stored.
  4. 4
    To resolve (a string of code or text) into its elements to determine if it conforms to a particular grammar.
  5. 5
    Of a string of code or text, sentence, etc.: to conform to rules of grammar, to be syntactically valid.

Etymology

Possibly from Middle English pars (“parts, shares; parts of speech, grammar”), from Old French pars (plural of part (“part, portion, share”)), from Latin pars (“part, piece, share”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“to carry forth; to sell”).

This word in other languages

analizar(Español)analyser(Français)analysieren(Deutsch)analisar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: aprse,pares,parrse,parsse,pasre,pparse,prase

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

aprse2pares2parrse1parsse1pasre2pparse1prase2
Edit distance from "parse"

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 "parse"?
"parse" is spelled P-A-R-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /pɑːz/.
What does "parse" mean?
As a verb, "parse" means: To resolve (a sentence, etc.) into its elements, pointing out the several parts of speech, and their relation to each other by agreement or government; to analyze and describe grammatically.
What words are commonly confused with "parse"?
"parse" is commonly confused with "pas", "PRS", "part". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "parse"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "parse" is /pɑːz/. 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 "parse"?
Possibly from Middle English pars (“parts, shares; parts of speech, grammar”), from Old French pars (plural of part (“part, portion, share”)), from Latin pars (“part, piece, share”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“to carry forth; to sel... 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 “parse”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is P-A-R-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /pɑːz/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “pas” - see the side-by-side comparison. parse vs pas
  • 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