Oberlauf

[ˈoːbɐˌlaʊ̯f]

/[ˈoːbɐˌlaʊ̯f]/ noun

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

The verdict

“Oberlauf” is uncommon German (frequency #78,357 among 14,908 “O” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#78,357
frequency rank, German
14,908
“O” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Teil des Flusslaufs von seinem Anfang, in der Regel von der Quelle an

Key facts for Oberlauf
PropertyValue
HeadwordOberlauf
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈoːbɐˌlaʊ̯f]
Letters8
Frequency rank#78,357
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Oberlauf” 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). Oberlauf lands here:

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

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

Rare enough to double-check

Oberlauf is uncommon German at frequency #78,357 among 14,908 “O” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed [ˈoːbɐˌlaʊ̯f]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Teil des Flusslaufs von seinem Anfang, in der Regel von der Quelle an".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for Oberlauf, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, 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 Oberlauf, spelled O-B-E-R-L-A-U-F.

Definition

  1. 1
    Teil des Flusslaufs von seinem Anfang, in der Regel von der Quelle an

Antonyms

MittellaufUnterlauf

This word in other languages

headwater(English)

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 "Oberlauf"?
"Oberlauf" is spelled O-B-E-R-L-A-U-F. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈoːbɐˌlaʊ̯f].
What does "Oberlauf" mean?
As a noun, "Oberlauf" means: Teil des Flusslaufs von seinem Anfang, in der Regel von der Quelle an
How do you pronounce "Oberlauf"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Oberlauf" is [ˈoːbɐˌlaʊ̯f]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Oberlauf" come from?
"Oberlauf" 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 “Oberlauf”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is O-B-E-R-L-A-U-F - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈoːbɐˌlaʊ̯f] (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

Other uncommon German words near this rank

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