altersschwach

[ˈaltɐsˌʃvax]

/[ˈaltɐsˌʃvax]/ adj

The verdict

“altersschwach” is uncommon German (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency German
13
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - gebrechlich und schwach aufgrund des Alters und deswegen in keiner guten Verfassung

Corpus desk

Index DE-altersschwach · altersschwach · German

altersschwach · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "A" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for altersschwach
PropertyValue
Headwordaltersschwach
LanguageGerman
Part of speechAdjective
IPA[ˈaltɐsˌʃvax]
Letters13
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Langschwanz-Rang von „altersschwach“ im Deutschen

altersschwachliegt außerhalb der 100.000 häufigsten deutschen Wörter, im Langschwanz technischer, archaischer oder seltener Formen, genau dort, wo Schreibzweifeln zuschlagen.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

altersschwach is uncommon German outside the top frequency list, classed as anadjective, transcribed [ˈaltɐsˌʃvax]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for altersschwach in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct German form is altersschwach, spelled A-L-T-E-R-S-S-C-H-W-A-C-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    gebrechlich und schwach aufgrund des Alters und deswegen in keiner guten Verfassung
  2. 2
    nicht mehr voll funktionsfähig aufgrund des Alters

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how altersschwach appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. „Es war ihm bekannt, daß geistig Defekte, Kranke und altersschwache Personen, als »nutzlose Esser«, systematisch umgebracht wurden.“
  2. „Wenn der Papst sein Amt nicht mehr ausüben kann, etwa weil er das Bewusstsein verliert oder sehr altersschwach geworden ist, hat die katholische Kirche ein Problem.“

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "altersschwach"?
"altersschwach" is spelled A-L-T-E-R-S-S-C-H-W-A-C-H. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈaltɐsˌʃvax].
What does "altersschwach" mean?
As an adjective, "altersschwach" means: gebrechlich und schwach aufgrund des Alters und deswegen in keiner guten Verfassung
How do you pronounce "altersschwach"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "altersschwach" is [ˈaltɐsˌʃvax]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "altersschwach" come from?
"altersschwach" is a German word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list