precept
/ˈpɹiːsɛpt/noun, verb
precept is spelled P-R-E-C-E-P-T: 7 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 48,230th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, precept means “A rule or principle, especially one governing personal conduct” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of precept is precepts.
How many letters and syllables are in precept?
| Letters | 7: P-R-E-C-E-P-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 3 million words; the 48,230th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is precept?
Precept appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 48,230th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce precept?
- /ˈpɹiːsɛpt/
- /ˈpɹɛsɛpt/
Precept has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-precept.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with precept?
No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as precept.
Spelled with the same letters in another order: percept.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of precept
- precepts plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- precepting participle, present
- precepted participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does precept mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A rule or principle, especially one governing personal conduct.
Precept guides, but example draws.
- 2
A written command, especially a demand for payment.
- 3
UKAn order issued by one local authority to another specifying the rate of tax to be charged on its behalf.
- 4
UKA tax rate set by such an order; the tax thus collected.
verb
- 1
USTo act as a preceptor; to teach a physician-in-training by supervising their clinical practice.
- 2
obsoleteTo teach (something) by precepts.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Precept in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense rule or principle governing personal conduct:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | précepte |
| German | Gebot, Vorschrift, Grundsatz, Maxime |
| Portuguese | preceito |
| Spanish | precepto, preceptiva |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does precept come from?
Borrowed from Late Latin praeceptum, form of praecipiō (“to teach”), from Latin prae (“pre-”) + capiō (“take”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).