set apart

verb

"set-apart" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“set apart” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To select (something or someone) for a specific purpose.

Key facts for set apart
PropertyValue
Headwordset apart
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “set apart” sits in English frequency

set apart falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for set apart is 9 letters long, classified as a verb. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

set apart doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct English form is set apart, spelled S-E-T- -A-P-A-R-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To select (something or someone) for a specific purpose.
  2. 2
    To distinguish, make obvious the distinction between (two things) or of (something).
  3. 3
    Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: to separate or isolate.
  4. 4
    To perform a blessing which formally invests a person with authority to serve in a calling or leadership position, typically by laying on of hands.

Synonyms

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

How do you spell "set apart"?
"set apart" is spelled S-E-T- -A-P-A-R-T.
What does "set apart" mean?
As a verb, "set apart" means: To select (something or someone) for a specific purpose.
What language does "set apart" come from?
"set apart" is a English word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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.

Using “set apart”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-E-T- -A-P-A-R-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list