Ghetto

[ˈɡɛto]

/[ˈɡɛto]/ noun

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

The verdict

“Ghetto” is a moderately-common German word, ranked #14,578 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#14,578
frequency rank, German
6
letters
7
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - von der jüdischen Bevölkerung (anfänglich freiwillig, später zwangsweise) bewohntes, von den übrigen Stadtvierteln (durch Mauern oder Ähnliches) abgetrenntes Viertel

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Ghetto vs Ghettos
86% similar

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

Key facts for Ghetto
PropertyValue
HeadwordGhetto
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈɡɛto]
Letters6
Frequency rank#14,578
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Ghetto” 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). Ghetto 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 Ghetto is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈɡɛto]. Corpus data places it at rank #14,578 in overall German word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for Ghetto, with forms such as "gehtto", "gghetto", and "gheto". 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, "Ghettos", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

No documented word history exists for this headword, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is Ghetto, spelled G-H-E-T-T-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    von der jüdischen Bevölkerung (anfänglich freiwillig, später zwangsweise) bewohntes, von den übrigen Stadtvierteln (durch Mauern oder Ähnliches) abgetrenntes Viertel
  2. 2
    (militärisch streng bewachtes) isoliertes Stadtviertel, in dem die jüdische Bevölkerung gezwungenermaßen abgesondert von der übrigen Stadtbevölkerung (in unmenschlichen Lebensverhältnissen) leben musste
  3. 3
    von diskriminierten Minderheiten, Ausländern oder auch privilegierten Bevölkerungsgruppen bewohnter Bezirk beziehungsweise Viertel einer Stadt
  4. 4
    bestimmte (soziale, wirtschaftliche oder dergleichen) mentale oder psychische Sphäre, der sich jemand nicht entziehen kann

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: gehtto,gghetto,gheto,ghetot,ghhetto,ghteto,hgetto

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Ghetto - 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.

gehtto2gghetto1gheto1ghetot2ghhetto1ghteto2hgetto2
Edit distance from "Ghetto"

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 "Ghetto"?
"Ghetto" is spelled G-H-E-T-T-O. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈɡɛto].
What does "Ghetto" mean?
As a noun, "Ghetto" means: von der jüdischen Bevölkerung (anfänglich freiwillig, später zwangsweise) bewohntes, von den übrigen Stadtvierteln (durch Mauern oder Ähnliches) abgetrenntes Viertel
What words are commonly confused with "Ghetto"?
"Ghetto" is commonly confused with "Ghettos". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Ghetto"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Ghetto" is [ˈɡɛto]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Ghetto" come from?
"Ghetto" is a German word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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 “Ghetto”

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

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