Hauptmotiv

[ˈhaʊ̯ptmoˌtiːf]

/[ˈhaʊ̯ptmoˌtiːf]/ noun

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

The verdict

“Hauptmotiv” is uncommon German (frequency #73,591 among 59,066 “H” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#73,591
frequency rank, German
59,066
“H” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - zentraler, ausschlaggebender Anreiz oder Grund für eine Handlung, speziell für eine Straftat

Key facts for Hauptmotiv
PropertyValue
HeadwordHauptmotiv
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈhaʊ̯ptmoˌtiːf]
Letters10
Frequency rank#73,591
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Hauptmotiv” 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). Hauptmotiv lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

Hauptmotiv is uncommon German at frequency #73,591 among 59,066 “H” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed [ˈhaʊ̯ptmoˌtiːf]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for Hauptmotiv in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct German form is Hauptmotiv, spelled H-A-U-P-T-M-O-T-I-V.

Definition

  1. 1
    zentraler, ausschlaggebender Anreiz oder Grund für eine Handlung, speziell für eine Straftat
  2. 2
    zentraler, im Vordergrund stehender Gegenstand eines Kunstwerks

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 "Hauptmotiv"?
"Hauptmotiv" is spelled H-A-U-P-T-M-O-T-I-V. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈhaʊ̯ptmoˌtiːf].
What does "Hauptmotiv" mean?
As a noun, "Hauptmotiv" means: zentraler, ausschlaggebender Anreiz oder Grund für eine Handlung, speziell für eine Straftat
How do you pronounce "Hauptmotiv"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Hauptmotiv" is [ˈhaʊ̯ptmoˌtiːf]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Hauptmotiv" come from?
"Hauptmotiv" 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 “Hauptmotiv”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is H-A-U-P-T-M-O-T-I-V - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈhaʊ̯ptmoˌtiːf] (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

Other uncommon German words near this rank

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