exceptional

[…]

/[…]/ adj

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

The verdict

“exceptional” is outside the top-ranked German vocabulary, used as an adjective - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency German
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - außergewöhnlich; besser als der Durchschnitt

Key facts for exceptional
PropertyValue
Headwordexceptional
LanguageGerman
Part of speechAdjective
IPA[…]
Letters11
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “exceptional” sits in German frequency

exceptional falls outside the top-100,000 ranked German words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The German entry for exceptional is 11 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as […]. 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: "außergewöhnlich; besser als der Durchschnitt".

No misspelling variants are generated for exceptional in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct German form is exceptional, spelled E-X-C-E-P-T-I-O-N-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    außergewöhnlich; besser als der Durchschnitt

Synonyms

peachy

This word in other languages

exceptionnel(Français)

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 "exceptional"?
"exceptional" is spelled E-X-C-E-P-T-I-O-N-A-L. The IPA pronunciation is […].
What does "exceptional" mean?
As an adjective, "exceptional" means: außergewöhnlich; besser als der Durchschnitt
How do you pronounce "exceptional"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "exceptional" is […]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "exceptional" come from?
"exceptional" 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 “exceptional”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is E-X-C-E-P-T-I-O-N-A-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as […] (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