Which to use
“adult” and “alt” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #22,243
- “adult” frequency rank
- #595
- “alt” frequency rank
- 22838
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | adult | alt |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | erwachsen, geschlechtsreif | vor langer Zeit gemacht, geschehen oder gewesen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set adult and alt apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. adult ([aˈdʊlt]) and alt ([alt]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 2 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 22838, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
adult is recorded at frequency rank #22,243, classified as anadj, pronounced [aˈdʊlt]. alt is at rank #595, tagged as anadj, pronounced [alt].
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 22838, this pair ranks #1,869,091 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of adult vs alt
Shared letters: alt. Private to "adult": du. Private to "alt": -.
"adult" · 5 letters · shape VCVCC · "alt" · 3 letters · shape VCC
Known mistypes of this pair
- adult ← addult · adlut · adullt · adultt · adutl · audlt · dault
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "adult" and "alt" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "adult" or "alt"?
Remembering adult vs alt
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “adult” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable