bulwark

[ˈbʊlwək]

/[ˈbʊlwək]/ noun

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency German
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - ein Wall aus Erde oder anderem Material, der zur Verteidigung errichtet wurde: Bollwerk

Corpus desk

Index DE-bulwark · bulwark · German

bulwark · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "B" 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 bulwark
PropertyValue
Headwordbulwark
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈbʊlwək]
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Langschwanz-Rang von „bulwark“ im Deutschen

bulwarkliegt 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

bulwark is uncommon German outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed [ˈbʊlwək]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for bulwark, a sign its spelling follows regular German conventions. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is bulwark, spelled B-U-L-W-A-R-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    ein Wall aus Erde oder anderem Material, der zur Verteidigung errichtet wurde: Bollwerk
  2. 2
    etwas oder jemand, der verteidigenden oder schützenden Einfluss hat: Bollwerk
  3. 3
    meist am Bug angebrachte, zum Abweisen von Wasser bestimmte Erhöhung der Bordwand über das Deck hinaus: Schanzkleid

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. „The gates were surrounded by bulwarks made of earth, used to mount artillery.“
  2. „Conservatives halted some of the reforms, however, and the army subsequently became a bulwark of the conservative Prussian government.“

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 "bulwark"?
"bulwark" is spelled B-U-L-W-A-R-K. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈbʊlwək].
What does "bulwark" mean?
As a noun, "bulwark" means: ein Wall aus Erde oder anderem Material, der zur Verteidigung errichtet wurde: Bollwerk
How do you pronounce "bulwark"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bulwark" is [ˈbʊlwək]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "bulwark" come from?
"bulwark" 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