DefektvsDeliktWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“Defekt” and “Delikt” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#8,849
“Defekt” frequency rank
#41,739
“Delikt” frequency rank
50588
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Defekt Delikt
Definition fehlerhafte Stelle, Funktionsfehler Verstoß gegen geltendes Strafrecht

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Defekt and Delikt apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch
Defekt
6 ch
Delikt

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Defekt ([deˈfɛkt]) and Delikt ([deˈlɪkt]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 50588, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Defekt is recorded at frequency rank #8,849, classified as anoun, pronounced [deˈfɛkt]. Delikt is at rank #41,739, tagged as anoun, pronounced [deˈlɪkt].

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 50588, this pair ranks #1,167,961 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of Defekt vs Delikt

Shared letters: dekt. Private to "Defekt": f. Private to "Delikt": il.

"Defekt" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCC  ·  "Delikt" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Defektddefekt · deefkt · defekkt · defektt · defetk · deffekt · defket · dfeekt
  • Deliktddelikt · deilkt · delikkt · deliktt · delitk · delkit · dellikt · dleikt

Frequency comparison

Defekt#8,849
Delikt#41,739

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Defekt" and "Delikt" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([deˈfɛkt] versus [deˈlɪkt]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Defekt" or "Delikt"?
"Defekt" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #8,849 in our German list, against #41,739 for "Delikt". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Defekt vs Delikt

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 “Defekt” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list