Lemma

[ˈlɛma]

/[ˈlɛma]/ noun

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

The verdict

“Lemma” is an uncommon German word, ranked #63,514 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#63,514
frequency rank, German
5
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - der im Titel oder Motto ausgedrückte Hauptinhalt eines Werks

Key facts for Lemma
PropertyValue
HeadwordLemma
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈlɛma]
Letters5
Frequency rank#63,514
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Lemma” 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). Lemma 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 Lemma is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈlɛma]. Corpus data places it at rank #63,514 in overall German word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Zero misspellings are on record for Lemma in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. Our dataset records no confusable match here, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is Lemma, spelled L-E-M-M-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    der im Titel oder Motto ausgedrückte Hauptinhalt eines Werks
  2. 2
    das Stichwort in der Grundform eines Wortes (also die Form, unter der man ein Wort im Lexikon sucht); siehe auch: Lemmaselektion
  3. 3
    ein Satz, der vor allem als Hilfssatz im Beweis eines wichtigeren Satzes von Bedeutung ist
  4. 4
    Bestandteil eines Emblems

Synonyms

MottoGrundformLexemStichwort

This word in other languages

lemma(English)lema(Español)lemme(Français)lema(Português)

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 "Lemma"?
"Lemma" is spelled L-E-M-M-A. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈlɛma].
What does "Lemma" mean?
As a noun, "Lemma" means: der im Titel oder Motto ausgedrückte Hauptinhalt eines Werks
How do you pronounce "Lemma"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Lemma" is [ˈlɛma]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Lemma" come from?
"Lemma" 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 “Lemma”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is L-E-M-M-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈlɛma] (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