per se
/pəˈseɪ/
"per-se" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“per se” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adverb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 6
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Without determination by or involvement of extraneous factors; by its very nature.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | per se |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adverb |
| IPA | /pəˈseɪ/ |
| Letters | 6 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “per se” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
per se is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadverb, transcribed /pəˈseɪ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for per se, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin per sē (“by itself”), from per (“by, through”) and sē (“itself, himself, herself, themselves”). The correct English form is per se, spelled P-E-R- -S-E.
Definition
- 1Without determination by or involvement of extraneous factors; by its very nature.
- 2In a true or literal sense; as one would expect from the name or description.
- 3As the principle of its own determination and positing itself.
- 4Not leaving discretion to the judge to take into account additional factors that could rebut the judgment, deriving the qualification from the statute.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin per sē (“by itself”), from per (“by, through”) and sē (“itself, himself, herself, themselves”).
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
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Using “per se”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is P-E-R- -S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /pəˈseɪ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- 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.