Lebensraum

[ˈleːbn̩sˌʁaʊ̯m]

/[ˈleːbn̩sˌʁaʊ̯m]/ noun

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

The verdict

“Lebensraum” is a regularly-used German word, ranked #9,236 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#9,236
frequency rank, German
10
letters
15
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - ein Raum, in dem Leben und die Entfaltung desselben möglich ist und wirklich wird

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Lebensraum vs Lebensräume
82% similar
Lebensraum vs Lebenslauf
80% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Lebensraum
PropertyValue
HeadwordLebensraum
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈleːbn̩sˌʁaʊ̯m]
Letters10
Frequency rank#9,236
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Lebensraum” 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). Lebensraum 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 Lebensraum is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈleːbn̩sˌʁaʊ̯m]. Corpus data places it at rank #9,236 in overall German word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for Lebensraum, with forms such as "elbensraum", "lbeensraum", and "lebbensraum". 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 also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "Lebensräume", "Lebenslauf", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so its spelling is easiest to reason about phoneme by phoneme, absent a documented history. The correct German form is Lebensraum, spelled L-E-B-E-N-S-R-A-U-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    ein Raum, in dem Leben und die Entfaltung desselben möglich ist und wirklich wird
  2. 2
    der charakteristische Wohnort bzw. Standort einer Tier- oder Pflanzenart
  3. 3
    der Wohnort von Menschen bzw. Völkern; der geopolitisch umgedeutete Begriff Lebensraum diente vor allem in der ersten Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts in Anlehnung an Friedrich Ratzels Werk "Der Lebensraum" (1901) zur Begründung von Gebietsforderungen. Die Gedanken Ratzels wurden von dem Geografen Karl Haushofer, der persönliche, über Rudolf Heß vermittelte Kontakte zu Adolf Hitler besaß, weiterentwickelt und von Hitler rezipiert.

Synonyms

Habitat

This word in other languages

habitat(English)hábitat(Español)habitat(Français)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: elbensraum,lbeensraum,lebbensraum,lebennsraum,lebenrsaum,lebensarum,lebensramu,lebensraumm,lebensrraum,lebensruam,lebenssraum,lebesnraum,lebnesraum,leebnsraum,llebensraum

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

elbensraum2lbeensraum2lebbensraum1lebennsraum1lebenrsaum2lebensarum2lebensramu2lebensraumm1
Edit distance from "Lebensraum"

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 "Lebensraum"?
"Lebensraum" is spelled L-E-B-E-N-S-R-A-U-M. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈleːbn̩sˌʁaʊ̯m].
What does "Lebensraum" mean?
As a noun, "Lebensraum" means: ein Raum, in dem Leben und die Entfaltung desselben möglich ist und wirklich wird
What words are commonly confused with "Lebensraum"?
"Lebensraum" is commonly confused with "Lebensräume", "Lebenslauf". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Lebensraum"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Lebensraum" is [ˈleːbn̩sˌʁaʊ̯m]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Lebensraum" come from?
"Lebensraum" 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.

Using “Lebensraum”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is L-E-B-E-N-S-R-A-U-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈleːbn̩sˌʁaʊ̯m] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Lebensräume” - see the side-by-side comparison. Lebensraum vs Lebensräume
  • 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