reprieve
re·prieve/ɹɪˈpɹiːv/verb, noun
reprieve is spelled R-E-P-R-I-E-V-E: 8 letters and 2 syllables (re·prieve). It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 33,636th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, reprieve means “To cancel or postpone the punishment of someone, especially an execution” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in reprieve?
| Letters | 8: R-E-P-R-I-E-V-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: re·prieve |
| In writing | about once in every 1 million words; the 33,636th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is reprieve?
Reprieve appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 33,636th 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 reprieve?
- /ɹɪˈpɹiːv/
Reprieve has 2 syllables, split re·prieve in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-reprieve.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of reprieve
- reprieves present, singular, he/she/it, plural
- reprieving participle, present
- reprieved participle, past
- repryve
- reprive
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does reprieve mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To cancel or postpone the punishment of someone, especially an execution.
- 2
To bring relief to someone.
- 3
obsoleteTo take back to prison (in lieu of execution).
- 4
To abandon or postpone plans to close, withdraw or abolish (something).
noun
- 1
The cancellation or postponement of a punishment.
The prisoner was saved from execution; the governor had requested a reprieve.
- 2
A document authorizing such an action.
- 3
Relief from pain etc., especially temporary.
- 4
A cancellation or postponement of a proposed event undesired by many.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Reprieve in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | accorder un sursis , apporter du répit , grâce, sursis , répit |
| Spanish | exceptuar, excepcionar , indulto |
| German | Begnadigung, Strafaufschub, Galgenfrist, Gnadenfrist, Vollzugsaufschub, Frist |
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 reprieve come from?
First use appears c. 1513 in the writings of Robert Fabyan. In the sense of “to take back to prison”, from Middle English repryen (“to remand, detain”) (1494), possibly from Middle French repris, in the form of reprendre (“take back”); a cognate to reprise. The sense has become generalized, but does retain connotations of punishment and execution. The noun's first use appears c. 1592.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).