sequester

/sɪˈkwɛs.tə/

//sɪˈkwɛs.tə// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"sequester" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“sequester” is uncommon English (frequency #50,797 among 6,566 “S” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#50,797
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To separate from all external influence; to seclude; to withdraw.

Corpus desk

Index EN-sequester · sequester · English

sequester · rank #50,797 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #50,797
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH Shetty

Nearest frequency peer: Shetty (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “sequester”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “sequester” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for sequester
PropertyValue
Headwordsequester
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/sɪˈkwɛs.tə/
Letters9
Frequency rank#50,797
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “sequester” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).sequesterfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “Shetty” (#50,798), “selflessly” (#50,795), “sidecar” (#50,800). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “sequester” is #50,797. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

sequester is uncommon English at frequency #50,797 among 6,566 “S” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /sɪˈkwɛs.tə/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 10 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for sequester, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English sequestren (verb) and sequestre (noun), from Old French sequestrer, from Late Latin sequestrō (“separate, give up for safekeeping”), from Latin sequester (“mediator, depositary”), probably originally meaning "follower", from Proto-Indo-E… The correct English form is sequester, spelled S-E-Q-U-E-S-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    To separate from all external influence; to seclude; to withdraw.
  2. 2
    To separate in order to store.
  3. 3
    To set apart; to put aside; to remove; to separate from other things.
  4. 4
    To prevent an ion in solution from behaving normally by forming a coordination compound.
  5. 5
    To temporarily remove (property) from the possession of its owner and hold it as security against legal claims.
  6. 6
    To cause (one) to submit to the process of sequestration; to deprive (one) of one's estate, property, etc.
  7. 7
    To remove (certain funds) automatically from a budget.
  8. 8
    To seize and hold enemy property.
  9. 9
    To withdraw; to retire.
  10. 10
    To renounce (as a widow may) any concern with the estate of her husband.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how sequester appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The jury was sequestered from the press by the judge's order.
  2. when men most sequester themselves from action

Etymology

From Middle English sequestren (verb) and sequestre (noun), from Old French sequestrer, from Late Latin sequestrō (“separate, give up for safekeeping”), from Latin sequester (“mediator, depositary”), probably originally meaning "follower", from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- (“follow”).

Synonyms

segregate

This word in other languages

separar(Español)séquestrer(Français)absondern(Deutsch)

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 "sequester"?
"sequester" is spelled S-E-Q-U-E-S-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /sɪˈkwɛs.tə/.
What does "sequester" mean?
As a verb, "sequester" means: To separate from all external influence; to seclude; to withdraw.
How do you pronounce "sequester"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sequester" is /sɪˈkwɛs.tə/. 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 "sequester"?
From Middle English sequestren (verb) and sequestre (noun), from Old French sequestrer, from Late Latin sequestrō (“separate, give up for safekeeping”), from Latin sequester (“mediator, depositary”), probably originally meaning "follower", from Pr... 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "sequester", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

simulcast#50,802solemnity#50,810Southwell#50,813ribosomal#50,775

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list