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set

Definition, pronunciation, etymology, and usage for the English word. Free spelling reference powered by Wiktionary.

Letters

3 characters

Language

English

word origin

Source

Wiktionary

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Detailed reference entry for the English word "set", 3-letters, with pronunciation in International Phonetic Alphabet notation, etymology traced through Germanic and Romance roots where applicable, common misspelling variants catalogued from Hunspell error dictionaries, and usage frequency ranked against the top 100,000 English words in the Wordfreq corpus. PlainSpell covers English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German spelling with confusable-pair detection that highlights visually and phonetically similar words. This entry for "set" includes synonyms, antonyms, homophones, and cross-language translation pointers sourced from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org extract. Whether you are verifying the correct spelling of "set" for academic writing, checking homophone confusion, or exploring etymological origins, this page provides a citation-backed, free reference that requires no sign-up.

set is aEnglishverb. It means: To put (something) down, to rest. Pronounced /sɛt/. It ranks #234 in English word frequency. Often confused with so and SI.

Key facts for set
PropertyValue
Headwordset
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/sɛt/
Letters3
Frequency rank#234
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency rank visualization

Position of set in English word frequency (lower rank = more common)

Source: Wordfreq corpus

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for set is 3 letters long, classified as averb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /sɛt/. Corpus data places it at rank #234 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language.Wiktionary records 47 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No frequent misspelling variants are recorded for set in our index, suggesting the orthography either follows predictable English patterns or the word is uncommon enough that typo corpora lack signal.It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "so", "SI", "SS", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English setten, from Old English settan, from Proto-West Germanic *sattjan, from Proto-Germanic *satjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *sodéyeti, causative of *sed- (“to sit”). Root origin matters for spelling because borrowed morphemes (Greek, Latin, Old French, Old English) carry their source-language orthographic conventions into modern English, which is why historical etymology is often the cleanest predictor of whether a cluster like "-ough", "-eau", or "-tion" will appear. For readers arriving here from a spelling check, the authoritative guidance is: the correct English form is set, spelled S-E-T, and any other sequence of those letters, regardless of how natural it feels, is a misspelling in standard orthography.

Definition

  1. 1
    To put (something) down, to rest.
  2. 2
    To attach or affix (something) to something else, or in or upon a certain place.
  3. 3
    To put in a specified condition or state; to cause to be.
  4. 4
    To start (a fire).
  5. 5
    To cause to stop or stick; to obstruct; to fasten to a spot.
  6. 6
    To determine or settle.
  7. 7
    To adjust.
  8. 8
    To punch (a nail) into wood so that its head is below the surface.
  9. 9
    To arrange with dishes and cutlery, to set the table.
  10. 10
    To introduce or describe.
  11. 11
    To locate (a play, etc.); to assign a backdrop to, geographically or temporally.
  12. 12
    To compile, to make (a puzzle or challenge).
  13. 13
    To prepare (a stage or film set).
  14. 14
    To fit (someone) up in a situation.
  15. 15
    To arrange (type).
  16. 16
    To devise and assign (work) to.
  17. 17
    To direct (the ball) to a teammate for an attack.
  18. 18
    To solidify.
  19. 19
    To render stiff or solid; especially, to convert into curd; to curdle.
  20. 20
    Of a heavenly body, to disappear below the horizon of a planet, etc, as the latter rotates.
  21. 21
    To defeat a contract.
  22. 22
    To begin to move; to go forth.
  23. 23
    To produce after pollination.
  24. 24
    To be fixed for growth; to strike root; to begin to germinate or form.
  25. 25
    To sit (be in a seated position).
  26. 26
    To rest or lie somewhere, on something, etc.; to occupy a certain place.
  27. 27
    To hunt game with the aid of a setter.
  28. 28
    Of a dog, to indicate the position of game.
  29. 29
    To apply oneself; to undertake earnestly.
  30. 30
    To fit music to words.
  31. 31
    To place plants or shoots in the ground; to plant.
  32. 32
    To become fixed or rigid; to be fastened.
  33. 33
    To have a certain direction of motion; to flow; to move on; to tend.
  34. 34
    To acknowledge a dancing partner by facing him or her and moving first to one side and then to the other, while she or he does the opposite.
  35. 35
    To place or fix in a setting.
  36. 36
    To put in order in a particular manner; to prepare.
  37. 37
    To extend and bring into position; to spread.
  38. 38
    To give a pitch to, as a tune; to start by fixing the keynote.
  39. 39
    To reduce from a dislocated or fractured state.
  40. 40
    To sit or lie (easily etc.) on the stomach; to be digested in a certain manner.
  41. 41
    To lower into place and fix solidly, as the blocks of cut stone in a structure.
  42. 42
    To wager in gambling; to risk.
  43. 43
    To adorn with something infixed or affixed; to stud; to variegate with objects placed here and there.
  44. 44
    To value; to rate; used with at.
  45. 45
    To establish as a rule; to furnish; to prescribe; to assign.
  46. 46
    To suit; to become.
  47. 47
    To cause (a domestic fowl) to sit on eggs to brood.

Etymology

From Middle English setten, from Old English settan, from Proto-West Germanic *sattjan, from Proto-Germanic *satjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *sodéyeti, causative of *sed- (“to sit”).

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Frequency rank: #234 in English

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "set"?
"set" is spelled S-E-T. The IPA pronunciation is /sɛt/.
What does "set" mean?
As a verb, "set" means: To put (something) down, to rest.
What words are commonly confused with "set"?
"set" is commonly confused with "so", "SI", "SS". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "set"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "set" is /sɛt/. 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 "set"?
From Middle English setten, from Old English settan, from Proto-West Germanic *sattjan, from Proto-Germanic *satjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *sodéyeti, causative of *sed- (“to sit”). 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.

Nearby English words

Other entries that begin with the letter S in our English index:

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Data Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Frequency data from Wordfreq. Misspellings derived from Hunspell dictionaries.