authority

[əˈθɒrətiː]

/[əˈθɒrətiː]/ noun

The verdict

“authority” is a moderately-common German word, ranked #38,614 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#38,614
frequency rank, German
9
letters
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Person deren Entscheidungen anerkannt werden

Key facts for authority
PropertyValue
Headwordauthority
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[əˈθɒrətiː]
Letters9
Frequency rank#38,614
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “authority” 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). authority 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 authority is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [əˈθɒrətiː]. Corpus data places it at rank #38,614 in overall German word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for authority, with forms such as "atuhority", "auhtority", and "authhority". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct German form is authority, spelled A-U-T-H-O-R-I-T-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Person deren Entscheidungen anerkannt werden
  2. 2
    die Macht Befehle zu erteilen
  3. 3
    Einrichtung die berechtigt ist Befehle zu erteilen

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: atuhority,auhtority,authhority,authoirty,authoritty,authorityy,authoriyt,authorrity,authortiy,authroity,autohrity,autthority,uathority

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of authority - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

atuhority2auhtority2authhority1authoirty2authoritty1authorityy1authoriyt2authorrity1
Edit distance from "authority"

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 "authority"?
"authority" is spelled A-U-T-H-O-R-I-T-Y. The IPA pronunciation is [əˈθɒrətiː].
What does "authority" mean?
As a noun, "authority" means: Person deren Entscheidungen anerkannt werden
What are common misspellings of "authority"?
Common misspellings include "atuhority", "auhtority", "authhority", "authoirty", "authoritty". The correct spelling is "authority".
How do you pronounce "authority"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "authority" is [əˈθɒrətiː]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "authority" come from?
"authority" 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.

Using “authority”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is A-U-T-H-O-R-I-T-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [əˈθɒrətiː] (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