precept

/ˈpɹiːsɛpt/

//ˈpɹiːsɛpt// noun

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

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

The verdict

“precept” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #48,422. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#48,422
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
11
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A rule or principle, especially one governing personal conduct.

Corpus desk

Index EN-precept · precept · English

precept · rank #48,422 · 11 variants · 7 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #48,422
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 7 pairs
  • VAR-MID 11 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH possessor

Nearest frequency peer: possessor (-1 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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “precept”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “precept” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

precept vs preset
71% similar
precept vs present
71% similar
precept vs prevent
71% similar

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

Key facts for precept
PropertyValue
Headwordprecept
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpɹiːsɛpt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#48,422
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs7
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “precept”

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

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “possessor” (#48,421), “precipitous” (#48,423), “poon” (#48,420). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “precept” is #48,422. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around precept (IPA /ˈpɹiːsɛpt/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #48,422 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for precept, with forms such as "percept", "pprecept", and "prceept". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 7 confusable-pair relationships, "preset", "present", "prevent", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Late Latin praeceptum, form of praecipiō (“to teach”), from Latin prae (“pre-”) + capiō (“take”). The correct English form is precept, spelled P-R-E-C-E-P-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A rule or principle, especially one governing personal conduct.
  2. 2
    A written command, especially a demand for payment.
  3. 3
    An order issued by one local authority to another specifying the rate of tax to be charged on its behalf.
  4. 4
    A tax rate set by such an order; the tax thus collected.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Precept guides, but example draws.
  2. By Heav’ns, ſuch Virtues, join’d with ſuch Succeſs, Diſtract my very Soul: Our Father’s Fortune Wou’d almoſt tempt us to renounce his Precepts.

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin praeceptum, form of praecipiō (“to teach”), from Latin prae (“pre-”) + capiō (“take”).

This word in other languages

precepto(Español)précepte(Français)Gebot(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • percept
  • pprecept
  • prceept
  • preccept
  • preceppt
  • preceptt
  • precetp
  • precpet
  • preecpt
  • prrecept
  • rpecept

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

percept2pprecept1prceept2preccept1preceppt1preceptt1precetp2precpet2
Edit distance from "precept"

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 "precept"?
"precept" is spelled P-R-E-C-E-P-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɹiːsɛpt/.
What does "precept" mean?
As a noun, "precept" means: A rule or principle, especially one governing personal conduct.
What words are commonly confused with "precept"?
"precept" is commonly confused with "preset", "present", "prevent". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "precept"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "precept" is /ˈpɹiːsɛpt/. 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 "precept"?
Borrowed from Late Latin praeceptum, form of praecipiō (“to teach”), from Latin prae (“pre-”) + capiō (“take”). 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 "precept", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

poacher#48,417Prosser#48,429Reese's#48,449onetime#48,394

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (11 here; floor ≥5).

purifier11 variantsOnondaga11 variantsrifling11 variantsroundly11 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list