Motivation

[motivaˈt͡si̯oːn]

/[motivaˈt͡si̯oːn]/ noun

The verdict

“Motivation” is a regularly-used German word, ranked #3,834 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#3,834
frequency rank, German
10
letters
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - der Wille, ein Ziel zu erreichen

Key facts for Motivation
PropertyValue
HeadwordMotivation
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[motivaˈt͡si̯oːn]
Letters10
Frequency rank#3,834
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Motivation” 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). Motivation 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 Motivation is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [motivaˈt͡si̯oːn]. Corpus data places it at rank #3,834 in overall German word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for Motivation, with forms such as "mmotivation", "moitvation", and "motiavtion". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so spelling patterns must be inferred from the word's phoneme-to-grapheme mapping rather than from a documented borrowing chain. The correct German form is Motivation, spelled M-O-T-I-V-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    der Wille, ein Ziel zu erreichen
  2. 2
    Prozess und Ergebnis eines Vorgangs, der dazu führt, dass die Bedeutung sprachlicher Ausdrücke sich aus der Bedeutung ihrer Bestandteile herleiten lässt

Synonyms

Antonyms

DemotivierungLustlosigkeitUndurchsichtigkeit

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: mmotivation,moitvation,motiavtion,motivaiton,motivatino,motivationn,motivatoin,motivattion,motivtaion,motivvation,mottivation,motviation,mtoivation,omtivation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Motivation - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

mmotivation1moitvation2motiavtion2motivaiton2motivatino2motivationn1motivatoin2motivattion1
Edit distance from "Motivation"

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 "Motivation"?
"Motivation" is spelled M-O-T-I-V-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is [motivaˈt͡si̯oːn].
What does "Motivation" mean?
As a noun, "Motivation" means: der Wille, ein Ziel zu erreichen
What are common misspellings of "Motivation"?
Common misspellings include "mmotivation", "moitvation", "motiavtion", "motivaiton", "motivatino". The correct spelling is "Motivation".
How do you pronounce "Motivation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Motivation" is [motivaˈt͡si̯oːn]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Motivation" come from?
"Motivation" 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.

Using “Motivation”

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

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