Erkenntnis

[ɛɐ̯ˈkɛntnɪs]

/[ɛɐ̯ˈkɛntnɪs]/ noun

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

The verdict

“Erkenntnis” is a regularly-used German word, ranked #4,342 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#4,342
frequency rank, German
10
letters
14
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - eine Feststellung, die jemand auf Grund seiner Erfahrung trifft; eine Beurteilung, Bewertung

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Erkenntnis vs Erkenntnisse
83% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Erkenntnis
PropertyValue
HeadwordErkenntnis
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ɛɐ̯ˈkɛntnɪs]
Letters10
Frequency rank#4,342
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Erkenntnis” 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). Erkenntnis 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 Erkenntnis is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ɛɐ̯ˈkɛntnɪs]. Corpus data places it at rank #4,342 in overall German word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for Erkenntnis, with forms such as "ekrenntnis", "ereknntnis", and "erkennntis". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "Erkenntnisse", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling is easiest to reason about phoneme by phoneme, absent a documented history. The correct German form is Erkenntnis, spelled E-R-K-E-N-N-T-N-I-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    eine Feststellung, die jemand auf Grund seiner Erfahrung trifft; eine Beurteilung, Bewertung
  2. 2
    das Abbild von Gegenständen und Sachverhalten im Bewusstsein; das durch Erkenntnisgewinnung entstandene Wissen; bei Kant das synthetisch-analytische Urteil
  3. 3
    von Gott dem Menschen offenbartes Wissen; absolutes göttliches Wissen

Synonyms

AufschlussBeurteilungBewertungBewusstseinEinsichtEinblickEindruckKlarsichtApperzeptionKognitionWissenLehre

Antonyms

Meinung

This word in other languages

insight(English)conclusión(Español)constat(Français)conhecimento(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ekrenntnis,ereknntnis,erkennntis,erkenntins,erkenntniss,erkenntnnis,erkenntnsi,erkennttnis,erkentnis,erkentnnis,erkkenntnis,erknentnis,errkenntnis,rekenntnis

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Erkenntnis - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ekrenntnis2ereknntnis2erkennntis2erkenntins2erkenntniss1erkenntnnis1erkenntnsi2erkennttnis1
Edit distance from "Erkenntnis"

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 "Erkenntnis"?
"Erkenntnis" is spelled E-R-K-E-N-N-T-N-I-S. The IPA pronunciation is [ɛɐ̯ˈkɛntnɪs].
What does "Erkenntnis" mean?
As a noun, "Erkenntnis" means: eine Feststellung, die jemand auf Grund seiner Erfahrung trifft; eine Beurteilung, Bewertung
What words are commonly confused with "Erkenntnis"?
"Erkenntnis" is commonly confused with "Erkenntnisse". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Erkenntnis"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Erkenntnis" is [ɛɐ̯ˈkɛntnɪs]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Erkenntnis" come from?
"Erkenntnis" 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 “Erkenntnis”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is E-R-K-E-N-N-T-N-I-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ɛɐ̯ˈkɛntnɪs] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Erkenntnisse” - see the side-by-side comparison. Erkenntnis vs Erkenntnisse
  • 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