Kaftan

[ˈkaftan]

/[ˈkaftan]/ noun

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency German
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - lang- und weitärmliges orientalisches Obergewand, das mit einem langen Band über Schulter und Brust oder mit Knöpfchen über der Brust geschlossen wird

Corpus desk

Index DE-kaftan · Kaftan · German

Kaftan · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "K" 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 Kaftan
PropertyValue
HeadwordKaftan
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈkaftan]
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Langschwanz-Rang von „Kaftan“ im Deutschen

Kaftanliegt außerhalb der 100.000 häufigsten deutschen Wörter, im Langschwanz technischer, archaischer oder seltener Formen, genau dort, wo Schreibzweifeln zuschlagen.

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

Rare enough to double-check

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

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for Kaftan, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable German rules. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, 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 Kaftan, spelled K-A-F-T-A-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    lang- und weitärmliges orientalisches Obergewand, das mit einem langen Band über Schulter und Brust oder mit Knöpfchen über der Brust geschlossen wird
  2. 2
    langes, enges, vorn geknöpftes orientalisches Obergewand, das früher in Osteuropa Bestandteil der Tracht orthodoxer Juden war
  3. 3
    Kleidungsstück, das lang und weit ist

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. In großen Teilen der Welt ist der Kaftan noch immer das übliche Gewand für Männer.
  2. „Unter der Kapuze des alten Kaftans sieht er nicht wie der reichste Mann der Welt, sondern wie ein niederer Palastdiener der Nachtschicht aus, der jetzt nach Hause will.“

This word in other languages

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 "Kaftan"?
"Kaftan" is spelled K-A-F-T-A-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈkaftan].
What does "Kaftan" mean?
As a noun, "Kaftan" means: lang- und weitärmliges orientalisches Obergewand, das mit einem langen Band über Schulter und Brust oder mit Knöpfchen über der Brust geschlossen wird
How do you pronounce "Kaftan"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Kaftan" is [ˈkaftan]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Kaftan" come from?
"Kaftan" 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list