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” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #48,422 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#48,422
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A rule or principle, especially one governing personal conduct.

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)

Where “precept” 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). precept 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 precept is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈpɹiːsɛpt/. Corpus data places it at rank #48,422 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

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.

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.

Using “precept”

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

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