abstrus

[apˈstʁuːs]

/[apˈstʁuːs]/ adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“abstrus” is an uncommon German word, ranked #65,949 in German word frequency and used as an adjective.

#65,949
frequency rank, German
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - absonderlich, töricht

Key facts for abstrus
PropertyValue
Headwordabstrus
LanguageGerman
Part of speechAdjective
IPA[apˈstʁuːs]
Letters7
Frequency rank#65,949
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “abstrus” sits in German frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). abstrus lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The German entry for abstrus is 7 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [apˈstʁuːs]. Corpus data places it at rank #65,949 in overall German word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for abstrus, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling is easiest to reason about phoneme by phoneme, absent a documented history. The correct German form is abstrus, spelled A-B-S-T-R-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    absonderlich, töricht
  2. 2
    schwer verständlich, verworren, ohne gedankliche Ordnung

Synonyms

absonderlichkraustörichtweltfremdverworrenunverständlichdiffuskonfus

Antonyms

vernünftigweiseklarmanifestdeutlichoffensichtlichverständlich

This word in other languages

abstruse(English)abstruso(Español)abscons(Français)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 German corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "abstrus"?
"abstrus" is spelled A-B-S-T-R-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is [apˈstʁuːs].
What does "abstrus" mean?
As an adjective, "abstrus" means: absonderlich, töricht
How do you pronounce "abstrus"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "abstrus" is [apˈstʁuːs]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "abstrus" come from?
"abstrus" is a German word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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.

Using “abstrus”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct German spelling is A-B-S-T-R-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [apˈstʁuːs] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more German words and confusable pairs in the same reference. German words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list