Großeltern

[ˈɡʁoːsˌʔɛltɐn]

/[ˈɡʁoːsˌʔɛltɐn]/ noun

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

The verdict

“Großeltern” is uncommon German (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency German
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - die Eltern des Vaters oder der Mutter

Key facts for Großeltern
PropertyValue
HeadwordGroßeltern
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈɡʁoːsˌʔɛltɐn]
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Großeltern” sits in German frequency

Großeltern 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.

Rare enough to double-check

Großeltern is uncommon German outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed [ˈɡʁoːsˌʔɛltɐn]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "die Eltern des Vaters oder der Mutter".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for Großeltern, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct German form is Großeltern, spelled G-R-O-S-S-E-L-T-E-R-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    die Eltern des Vaters oder der Mutter

Antonyms

Enkel

This word in other languages

abuelos(Español)grands-parents(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 "Großeltern"?
"Großeltern" is spelled G-R-O-SS-E-L-T-E-R-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈɡʁoːsˌʔɛltɐn].
What does "Großeltern" mean?
As a noun, "Großeltern" means: die Eltern des Vaters oder der Mutter
How do you pronounce "Großeltern"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Großeltern" is [ˈɡʁoːsˌʔɛltɐn]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Großeltern" come from?
"Großeltern" 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 “Großeltern”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is G-R-O-S-S-E-L-T-E-R-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈɡʁoːsˌʔɛltɐn] (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