eigenwillig

[ˈaɪ̯ɡn̩ˌvɪlɪç]

/[ˈaɪ̯ɡn̩ˌvɪlɪç]/ adj

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

The verdict

“eigenwillig” is an uncommon German word, ranked #56,926 in German word frequency and used as an adjective.

#56,926
frequency rank, German
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - von eigenen Ideen erfüllt (die auch ungewöhnlich und befremdlich sein können); auf eigenen Ideen bestehend

Key facts for eigenwillig
PropertyValue
Headwordeigenwillig
LanguageGerman
Part of speechAdjective
IPA[ˈaɪ̯ɡn̩ˌvɪlɪç]
Letters11
Frequency rank#56,926
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “eigenwillig” 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). eigenwillig 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 eigenwillig is 11 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈaɪ̯ɡn̩ˌvɪlɪç]. Corpus data places it at rank #56,926 in overall German word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "von eigenen Ideen erfüllt (die auch ungewöhnlich und befremdlich sein können); auf eigenen Ideen bestehend".

eigenwillig doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable German patterns. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, leaving phoneme-to-grapheme mapping as the best guide to its spelling rather than a borrowing history. The correct German form is eigenwillig, spelled E-I-G-E-N-W-I-L-L-I-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    von eigenen Ideen erfüllt (die auch ungewöhnlich und befremdlich sein können); auf eigenen Ideen bestehend

Antonyms

angepasstgewöhnlichkooperativ

This word in other languages

headstrong(English)voluntarioso(Español)volontaire(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 "eigenwillig"?
"eigenwillig" is spelled E-I-G-E-N-W-I-L-L-I-G. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈaɪ̯ɡn̩ˌvɪlɪç].
What does "eigenwillig" mean?
As an adjective, "eigenwillig" means: von eigenen Ideen erfüllt (die auch ungewöhnlich und befremdlich sein können); auf eigenen Ideen bestehend
How do you pronounce "eigenwillig"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "eigenwillig" is [ˈaɪ̯ɡn̩ˌvɪlɪç]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "eigenwillig" come from?
"eigenwillig" 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.

Using “eigenwillig”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is E-I-G-E-N-W-I-L-L-I-G - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈaɪ̯ɡn̩ˌvɪlɪç] (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