GenusvsGenussWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#24,736
“Genus” frequency rank
#5,367
“Genuss” frequency rank
30103
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Genus Genuss
Definition grammatische Kategorie von Substantiven, Adjektiven, Artikeln, Pronomen (also von Nomen im traditionellen weiteren Sinn) Aufnahme von Ess-, Rauch- oder Trinkbarem

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Genus and Genuss apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
Genus
6 ch
Genuss

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Genus ([ˈɡɛnʊs]) and Genuss ([ɡəˈnʊs]) 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 1 extra letter(s) - “Genus” sits inside “Genuss”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 30103, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Genus is recorded at frequency rank #24,736, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈɡɛnʊs]. Genuss is at rank #5,367, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ɡəˈnʊs].

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 30103, this pair ranks #1,754,360 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of Genus vs Genuss

Shared letters: egnsu. Private to "Genus": -. Private to "Genuss": -.

"Genus" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC  ·  "Genuss" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Genusegnus · gennus · gensu · geuns · ggenus · gneus
  • Genussegnuss · gennuss · gensus · genuß · geunss · ggenuss · gneuss

Frequency comparison

Genus#24,736
Genuss#5,367

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Genus" and "Genuss" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈɡɛnʊs] versus [ɡəˈnʊs]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Genus" or "Genuss"?
"Genuss" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #5,367 in our German list, against #24,736 for "Genus". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Genus vs Genuss

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 “Genus” 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