satrap
/ˈseɪtɹæp/
"satrap" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“satrap” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 6
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A governor of a Persian province.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | satrap |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈseɪtɹæp/ |
| Letters | 6 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “satrap” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
satrap is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈseɪtɹæp/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.
Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for satrap, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English satrape, from Latin satrapēs (“governor”), from Ancient Greek σατράπης (satrápēs), from Old Median *xšaθrapāvan (literally “kingdom-protector”), which is cognate with Old Persian 𐎧𐏁𐏂𐎱𐎠𐎺𐎠 (xšaçapāvā); see there for more. The correct English form is satrap, spelled S-A-T-R-A-P.
Definition
- 1A governor of a Persian province.
- 2A subordinate ruler.
Etymology
From Middle English satrape, from Latin satrapēs (“governor”), from Ancient Greek σατράπης (satrápēs), from Old Median *xšaθrapāvan (literally “kingdom-protector”), which is cognate with Old Persian 𐎧𐏁𐏂𐎱𐎠𐎺𐎠 (xšaçapāvā); see there for more.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “satrap”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is S-A-T-R-A-P - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈseɪtɹæp/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- 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.