Format

[fɔʁˈmaːt]

/[fɔʁˈmaːt]/ noun

The verdict

“Format” is a regularly-used German word, ranked #3,187 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#3,187
frequency rank, German
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
18
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Form und Größe von zum Beispiel Papier, Büchern, Druckerzeugnissen oder auch Dateien und Filmen

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Format vs Forst
67% similar
Format vs formt
67% similar
Format vs forza
50% similar

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

Key facts for Format
PropertyValue
HeadwordFormat
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[fɔʁˈmaːt]
Letters6
Frequency rank#3,187
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs18
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Format” 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). Format 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 Format is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [fɔʁˈmaːt]. Corpus data places it at rank #3,187 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 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for Format, with forms such as "fformat", "fomrat", and "foramt". 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 18 confusable-pair relationships, "Forst", "formt", "forza", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct German form is Format, spelled F-O-R-M-A-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Form und Größe von zum Beispiel Papier, Büchern, Druckerzeugnissen oder auch Dateien und Filmen
  2. 2
    Rang, Güte, Wert eines Sportlers, Künstlers oder generell jemandes, der eine Tätigkeit ausübt
  3. 3
    Charaktergröße

Synonyms

DatenformatDatenstrukturFileformatZuschnittGrößeKlasseRang

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: fformat,fomrat,foramt,formatt,formmat,formta,forrmat,fromat,ofrmat

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Format - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

fformat1fomrat2foramt2formatt1formmat1formta2forrmat1fromat2
Edit distance from "Format"

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 "Format"?
"Format" is spelled F-O-R-M-A-T. The IPA pronunciation is [fɔʁˈmaːt].
What does "Format" mean?
As a noun, "Format" means: Form und Größe von zum Beispiel Papier, Büchern, Druckerzeugnissen oder auch Dateien und Filmen
What words are commonly confused with "Format"?
"Format" is commonly confused with "Forst", "formt", "forza". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Format"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Format" is [fɔʁˈmaːt]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Format" come from?
"Format" is a German word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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 “Format”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is F-O-R-M-A-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [fɔʁˈmaːt] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Forst” - see the side-by-side comparison. Format vs Forst
  • 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