Nachtmensch

[ˈnaxtˌmɛnʃ]

/[ˈnaxtˌmɛnʃ]/ noun

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency German
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Mensch, der regelmäßig bis spät nachts wach ist und infolgedessen eine bis zur Mittagszeit reichende Schlafphase besitzt

Corpus desk

Index DE-nachtmensch · Nachtmensch · German

Nachtmensch · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "N" 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 Nachtmensch
PropertyValue
HeadwordNachtmensch
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈnaxtˌmɛnʃ]
Letters11
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Langschwanz-Rang von „Nachtmensch“ im Deutschen

Nachtmenschschafft es nicht in die Top 100.000 des Deutschen: Zone für Fach-, Alt- oder Seltenwortschatz.

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

Rare enough to double-check

Nachtmensch is uncommon German outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed [ˈnaxtˌmɛnʃ]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Mensch, der regelmäßig bis spät nachts wach ist und infolgedessen eine bis zur Mittagszeit reichende Schlafphase besitzt".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for Nachtmensch, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so its spelling is easiest to reason about phoneme by phoneme, absent a documented history. The correct German form is Nachtmensch, spelled N-A-C-H-T-M-E-N-S-C-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    Mensch, der regelmäßig bis spät nachts wach ist und infolgedessen eine bis zur Mittagszeit reichende Schlafphase besitzt

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. „‚Die Nachtschwärmerei ist von der Evolution nicht vorgesehen und es stimmt doch nachdenklich, wenn die ‚Nachtmenschen’ ihre Lebensart derart propagieren, dass sie dafür beneidet werden.’“
  2. „Es war für Sabina, als lebten zweierlei Rassen auf der Erde: die Nachtmenschen und die Tagesmenschen, die einander nur in diesem Augenblick treffen.“

Synonyms

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 "Nachtmensch"?
"Nachtmensch" is spelled N-A-C-H-T-M-E-N-S-C-H. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈnaxtˌmɛnʃ].
What does "Nachtmensch" mean?
As a noun, "Nachtmensch" means: Mensch, der regelmäßig bis spät nachts wach ist und infolgedessen eine bis zur Mittagszeit reichende Schlafphase besitzt
How do you pronounce "Nachtmensch"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Nachtmensch" is [ˈnaxtˌmɛnʃ]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Nachtmensch" come from?
"Nachtmensch" 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