H₂O

[ˌhaː tsvaɪ̯ ˈʔoː]

/[ˌhaː tsvaɪ̯ ˈʔoː]/ abbrev

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

The verdict

“H₂O” is outside the top-ranked German vocabulary, used as an abbreviation - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency German
3
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Summenformel für Wasser (auch Dihydrogenoxid)

Key facts for H₂O
PropertyValue
HeadwordH₂O
LanguageGerman
Part of speechAbbreviation
IPA[ˌhaː tsvaɪ̯ ˈʔoː]
Letters3
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “H₂O” sits in German frequency

H₂O 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 H₂O is 3 letters long, classified as an abbreviation, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˌhaː tsvaɪ̯ ˈʔoː]. 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: "Summenformel für Wasser (auch Dihydrogenoxid)".

H₂O has no tracked misspelling variants, a sign its spelling follows regular German conventions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is H₂O, spelled H-₂-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    Summenformel für Wasser (auch Dihydrogenoxid)

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 "H₂O"?
"H₂O" is spelled H-₂-O. The IPA pronunciation is [ˌhaː tsvaɪ̯ ˈʔoː].
What does "H₂O" mean?
As an abbreviation, "H₂O" means: Summenformel für Wasser (auch Dihydrogenoxid)
How do you pronounce "H₂O"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "H₂O" is [ˌhaː tsvaɪ̯ ˈʔoː]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "H₂O" come from?
"H₂O" 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 “H₂O”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is H-₂-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˌhaː tsvaɪ̯ ˈʔoː] (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