Kettenreaktion

[ˈkɛtn̩ʁeakˌt͡si̯oːn]

/[ˈkɛtn̩ʁeakˌt͡si̯oːn]/ noun

The verdict

“Kettenreaktion” is a moderately-common German word, ranked #40,634 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#40,634
frequency rank, German
14
letters
19
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) — Reaktion, bei der nach einer Startreaktion mehrere Reaktionen hintereinander ablaufen

Key facts for Kettenreaktion
PropertyValue
HeadwordKettenreaktion
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈkɛtn̩ʁeakˌt͡si̯oːn]
Letters14
Frequency rank#40,634
Misspellings tracked19
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Kettenreaktion” 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). Kettenreaktion lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The German entry for Kettenreaktion is 14 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈkɛtn̩ʁeakˌt͡si̯oːn]. Corpus data places it at rank #40,634 in overall German word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 19 likely wrong-spelling variants for Kettenreaktion, with forms such as "ekttenreaktion", "ketenreaktion", and "ketetnreaktion". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so spelling patterns must be inferred from the word's phoneme-to-grapheme mapping rather than from a documented borrowing chain. For readers arriving here from a spelling check, the authoritative guidance is: the correct German form is Kettenreaktion, spelled K-E-T-T-E-N-R-E-A-K-T-I-O-N, and any other sequence of those letters, regardless of how natural it feels, is a misspelling in standard orthography.

Definition

  1. 1
    Reaktion, bei der nach einer Startreaktion mehrere Reaktionen hintereinander ablaufen
  2. 2
    Vorkommnis, das eine Reihe weiterer Vorkommnisse auslöst

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ekttenreaktion,ketenreaktion,ketetnreaktion,ketteneraktion,kettennreaktion,kettenraektion,kettenreakiton,kettenreakktion,kettenreaktino,kettenreaktionn,kettenreaktoin,kettenreakttion,kettenreatkion,kettenrekation,kettenrreaktion,ketterneaktion,kettnereaktion,kkettenreaktion,ktetenreaktion

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Kettenreaktion - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

Edit distance from "Kettenreaktion"

ekttenreaktion2ketenreaktion1ketetnreaktion2ketteneraktion2kettennreaktion1kettenraektion2kettenreakiton2kettenreakktion1
Edit distance from "Kettenreaktion"

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.

Cite this page

Free to reuse with attribution (CC BY-SA). Copy the citation:

PlainSpell, “Kettenreaktion, German word data” (May 6, 2026). Derived from Wiktionary (kaikki.org, CC BY-SA) and an open word-frequency list. https://plainspell.com/de/wort/kettenreaktion

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Kettenreaktion"?
"Kettenreaktion" is spelled K-E-T-T-E-N-R-E-A-K-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈkɛtn̩ʁeakˌt͡si̯oːn].
What does "Kettenreaktion" mean?
As a noun, "Kettenreaktion" means: Reaktion, bei der nach einer Startreaktion mehrere Reaktionen hintereinander ablaufen
What are common misspellings of "Kettenreaktion"?
Common misspellings include "ekttenreaktion", "ketenreaktion", "ketetnreaktion", "ketteneraktion", "kettennreaktion". The correct spelling is "Kettenreaktion".
How do you pronounce "Kettenreaktion"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Kettenreaktion" is [ˈkɛtn̩ʁeakˌt͡si̯oːn]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Kettenreaktion" come from?
"Kettenreaktion" 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 “Kettenreaktion”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is K-E-T-T-E-N-R-E-A-K-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈkɛtn̩ʁeakˌt͡si̯oːn] (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

Nearby German words

Other entries that begin with the letter K in our German index:

Explore PlainSpell

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