in erster Linie

[ɪn ˈeːɐ̯stɐ ˌliːni̯ə]

/[ɪn ˈeːɐ̯stɐ ˌliːni̯ə]/ phrase

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

The verdict

“in erster Linie” is outside the top-ranked German vocabulary, used as a phrase - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency German
15
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - an erster Stelle; vor allem

Key facts for in erster Linie
PropertyValue
Headwordin erster Linie
LanguageGerman
Part of speechPhrase
IPA[ɪn ˈeːɐ̯stɐ ˌliːni̯ə]
Letters15
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “in erster Linie” sits in German frequency

in erster Linie 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 in erster Linie is 15 letters long, classified as a phrase, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ɪn ˈeːɐ̯stɐ ˌliːni̯ə]. 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: "an erster Stelle; vor allem".

in erster Linie doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct German form is in erster Linie, spelled I-N- -E-R-S-T-E-R- -L-I-N-I-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    an erster Stelle; vor allem

Synonyms

vor allem

Antonyms

in zweiter Linie

This word in other languages

first and foremost(English)en premier lieu(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 "in erster Linie"?
"in erster Linie" is spelled I-N- -E-R-S-T-E-R- -L-I-N-I-E. The IPA pronunciation is [ɪn ˈeːɐ̯stɐ ˌliːni̯ə].
What does "in erster Linie" mean?
As a phrase, "in erster Linie" means: an erster Stelle; vor allem
How do you pronounce "in erster Linie"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "in erster Linie" is [ɪn ˈeːɐ̯stɐ ˌliːni̯ə]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "in erster Linie" come from?
"in erster Linie" 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 “in erster Linie”

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

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