Enfant terrible
[ɑ̃ˌfɑ̃ː tɛˈʁiːbl̩]
The verdict
“Enfant terrible” is outside the top-ranked German vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency German
- 15
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - jemand, der durch exzentrisches, nicht den Regeln entsprechendes Verhalten seine Umgebung schockiert und provoziert
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | Enfant terrible |
| Language | German |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | [ɑ̃ˌfɑ̃ː tɛˈʁiːbl̩] |
| Letters | 15 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “Enfant terrible” sits in German frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The German entry for Enfant terrible is 15 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ɑ̃ˌfɑ̃ː tɛˈʁiːbl̩]. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "jemand, der durch exzentrisches, nicht den Regeln entsprechendes Verhalten seine Umgebung schockiert und provoziert".
No misspelling variants are generated for Enfant terrible in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.
This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is Enfant terrible, spelled E-N-F-A-N-T- -T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E.
Definition
- 1jemand, der durch exzentrisches, nicht den Regeln entsprechendes Verhalten seine Umgebung schockiert und provoziert
Synonyms
This word in other languages
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 "Enfant terrible"?
What does "Enfant terrible" mean?
How do you pronounce "Enfant terrible"?
What language does "Enfant terrible" come from?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “Enfant terrible”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct German spelling is E-N-F-A-N-T- -T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as [ɑ̃ˌfɑ̃ː tɛˈʁiːbl̩] (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.