changeling

[ˈtʃæinʒliŋ]

/[ˈtʃæinʒliŋ]/ noun

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency German
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Wechselbalg

Corpus desk

Index DE-changeling · changeling · German

changeling · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "C" 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 changeling
PropertyValue
Headwordchangeling
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈtʃæinʒliŋ]
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Langschwanz-Rang von „changeling“ im Deutschen

changelingschafft es nicht in die Top 100.000 des Deutschen: Zone für Fach-, Alt- oder Seltenwortschatz.

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

Rare enough to double-check

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

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for changeling, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct German form is changeling, spelled C-H-A-N-G-E-L-I-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    Wechselbalg
  2. 2
    der Abtrünnige

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. The farmer discovered the changeling at his doorstep.

Synonyms

turncoat

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 "changeling"?
"changeling" is spelled C-H-A-N-G-E-L-I-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈtʃæinʒliŋ].
What does "changeling" mean?
As a noun, "changeling" means: Wechselbalg
How do you pronounce "changeling"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "changeling" is [ˈtʃæinʒliŋ]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "changeling" come from?
"changeling" is a German word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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