Which to use
“Altar” and “Alter” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #8,164
- “Altar” frequency rank
- #455
- “Alter” frequency rank
- 8619
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Altar | Alter |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | tischähnliche Einrichtung (zum Beispiel in einer Kirche) zur Feier eines Gottesdienstes, zur kultischen Verehrung oder für das Abhalten von Ritualen | alter Mann |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Altar and Alter apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
Altar and Alter form a confusable pair in the German index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by a single letter - a in “Altar” becomes e in “Alter” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 8619, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Altar is recorded at frequency rank #8,164, classified as anoun, pronounced [alˈtaːɐ̯]. Alter is at rank #455, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈaltɐ].
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 8619, this pair ranks #1,983,573 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "Altar" and "Alter" be used interchangeably?
Remembering Altar vs Alter
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 “Altar” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable