foil

[fɔɪl]

/[fɔɪl]/ noun

The verdict

“foil” 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
4
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - ein dünnes Blech, eine Folie aus Metall

Key facts for foil
PropertyValue
Headwordfoil
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[fɔɪl]
Letters4
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “foil” sits in German frequency

foil 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 foil is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [fɔɪl]. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for foil, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is foil, spelled F-O-I-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    ein dünnes Blech, eine Folie aus Metall
  2. 2
    ein Gegenstück, ein vorteilhafter Gegensatz, ein Kontrast
  3. 3
    ein Florett

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 "foil"?
"foil" is spelled F-O-I-L. The IPA pronunciation is [fɔɪl].
What does "foil" mean?
As a noun, "foil" means: ein dünnes Blech, eine Folie aus Metall
How do you pronounce "foil"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "foil" is [fɔɪl]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "foil" come from?
"foil" 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 “foil”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is F-O-I-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [fɔɪl] (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