Erscheinung

[ɛɐ̯ˈʃaɪ̯nʊŋ]

/[ɛɐ̯ˈʃaɪ̯nʊŋ]/ noun

The verdict

“Erscheinung” is a regularly-used German word, ranked #6,179 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#6,179
frequency rank, German
11
letters
17
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - ein Umstand, der mit den menschlichen Sinnen wahrgenommen wird

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Erscheinung vs Erscheinungen
85% similar
Erscheinung vs erscheinen
73% similar

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

Key facts for Erscheinung
PropertyValue
HeadwordErscheinung
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ɛɐ̯ˈʃaɪ̯nʊŋ]
Letters11
Frequency rank#6,179
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Erscheinung” 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). Erscheinung 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 Erscheinung is 11 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ɛɐ̯ˈʃaɪ̯nʊŋ]. Corpus data places it at rank #6,179 in overall German word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for Erscheinung, with forms such as "ercsheinung", "errscheinung", and "ersccheinung". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "Erscheinungen", "erscheinen", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is Erscheinung, spelled E-R-S-C-H-E-I-N-U-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    ein Umstand, der mit den menschlichen Sinnen wahrgenommen wird
  2. 2
    eine plötzliche Veränderung; Manifestation
  3. 3
    Auftritt/Wirkung einer Person
  4. 4
    scheinbares Auftreten von etwas Unwirklichem

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ercsheinung,errscheinung,ersccheinung,erscehinung,erscheinnug,erscheinnung,erscheinugn,erscheinungg,erscheinunng,erscheiunng,erscheniung,erschheinung,erschienung,ershceinung,ersscheinung,esrcheinung,rescheinung

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Erscheinung - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ercsheinung2errscheinung1ersccheinung1erscehinung2erscheinnug2erscheinnung1erscheinugn2erscheinungg1
Edit distance from "Erscheinung"

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 "Erscheinung"?
"Erscheinung" is spelled E-R-S-C-H-E-I-N-U-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is [ɛɐ̯ˈʃaɪ̯nʊŋ].
What does "Erscheinung" mean?
As a noun, "Erscheinung" means: ein Umstand, der mit den menschlichen Sinnen wahrgenommen wird
What words are commonly confused with "Erscheinung"?
"Erscheinung" is commonly confused with "Erscheinungen", "erscheinen". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Erscheinung"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Erscheinung" is [ɛɐ̯ˈʃaɪ̯nʊŋ]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Erscheinung" come from?
"Erscheinung" 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 “Erscheinung”

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

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