horseshoe

[ˈhɔːsʃuː]

/[ˈhɔːsʃuː]/ noun

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency German
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - in U-Form gebogenes Eisen, das zum Schutz auf die Hufe von Pferden genagelt wird

Corpus desk

Index DE-horseshoe · horseshoe · German

horseshoe · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "H" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for horseshoe
PropertyValue
Headwordhorseshoe
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈhɔːsʃuː]
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Langschwanz-Rang von „horseshoe“ im Deutschen

horseshoesitzt jenseits der 100.000 häufigsten deutschen Formen, im Schwanz spezialisierten oder seltenen Wortschatzes.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

horseshoe is uncommon German outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed [ˈhɔːsʃuː]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

horseshoe has no tracked misspelling variants, a sign its spelling follows regular German conventions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is horseshoe, spelled H-O-R-S-E-S-H-O-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    in U-Form gebogenes Eisen, das zum Schutz auf die Hufe von Pferden genagelt wird
  2. 2
    Form, das dem äußeren Rand eines Pferdehufes ähnelt
  3. 3
    miniaturisierter Glücksbringer in U-Form

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how horseshoe appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. "It appears he had previously tried the famous Lancashire expedient to render his stables and shippons proof against his supernatural enemies--the nailing of horseshoes on all his doors--without obtaining the desired result; so, in desperation, knowing the tradition, he sacrificed a living calf to the fire-god Bel!"
  2. "At that moment, the thing had a critical look. We were inside a horseshoe of infantry, the extremities of which very nearly reached the river. We had to go through that line, or through the river, or surrender."

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 "horseshoe"?
"horseshoe" is spelled H-O-R-S-E-S-H-O-E. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈhɔːsʃuː].
What does "horseshoe" mean?
As a noun, "horseshoe" means: in U-Form gebogenes Eisen, das zum Schutz auf die Hufe von Pferden genagelt wird
How do you pronounce "horseshoe"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "horseshoe" is [ˈhɔːsʃuː]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "horseshoe" come from?
"horseshoe" 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.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list