# rape

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɹeɪ̯p/ · frequency rank #3,127

## Definitions
1. The act of forcing sex upon another person without their consent or against their will; originally coitus forced by a man on a woman, but now generally any sex act forced by any person upon another person, regardless of gender; by extension, any non-consensual sex act forced on, perpetrated by, or forced to penetrate any being.
2. An experience that is pleasant for one party and unpleasant for the other, particularly when the unwilling partner's suffering is worse than necessary.
3. An experience that is pleasant for one party and unpleasant for the other, particularly when the unwilling partner's suffering is worse than necessary.
4. The taking of something by force; seizure, plunder.
5. The abduction of a woman, especially for sexual purposes.
6. That which is snatched away.
7. Movement, as in snatching; haste; hurry.

## Etymology
From Middle English rapen, rappen (“to abduct; ravish; seduce; rape; seize; snatch; carry off; transport”), probably from Latin rapiō (verb), possibly through or influenced by Anglo-Norman rap, rape (noun) (compare also ravish). But compare Swedish rappa (“to snatch, seize, carry off”), Low German rapen (“to snatch, seize”), Dutch rapen (“to pick up, gather, collect”); the relationship with Germanic forms is not clear. Cognate with Lithuanian reikėti (“to be in need”). Compare also rap (“seize, snatch”). Further, some senses may be from Etymology 3, an Old Norse word.

## Easily confused with
- **re** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-re)
- **RP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-rp)
- **ray** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-ray)
- **raw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-raw)
- **rep** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-rep)
- **rip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-rip)
- **rat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-rat)
- **rue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-rue)
- **RPG** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-rpg)
- **rye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-rye)
- **rpm** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-rpm)
- **roe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-roe)
- **ras** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-ras)
- **ree** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-ree)
- **rav** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-rav)
- **RFP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-rfp)
- **rate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-rate)
- **rule** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-rule)
- **ride** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-ride)
- **rose** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rape-vs-rose)

## Common misspellings (5)
`arpe`, `raep`, `rappe`, `rpae`, `rrape`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/rape