Operator

[opəˈʁaːtoːɐ̯]

/[opəˈʁaːtoːɐ̯]/ noun

The verdict

“Operator” is a moderately-common German word, ranked #31,720 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#31,720
frequency rank, German
8
letters
11
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Vorschrift, die aus mathematischen Objekten („Operanden“) neue Objekte bildet

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Operator vs operativ
63% similar
Operator vs Operation
78% similar

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

Key facts for Operator
PropertyValue
HeadwordOperator
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[opəˈʁaːtoːɐ̯]
Letters8
Frequency rank#31,720
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Operator” 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). Operator 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 Operator is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [opəˈʁaːtoːɐ̯]. Corpus data places it at rank #31,720 in overall German word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for Operator, with forms such as "oeprator", "opeartor", and "operaotr". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "operativ", "Operation", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct German form is Operator, spelled O-P-E-R-A-T-O-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Vorschrift, die aus mathematischen Objekten („Operanden“) neue Objekte bildet
  2. 2
    Person, die ein EDV-System bedient und in der Regel mit höheren Rechten als der normale Benutzer ausgestattet ist
  3. 3
    Sequenz auf der DNS, die für die Bindung des Repressorproteins zuständig ist

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: oeprator,opeartor,operaotr,operatorr,operatro,operattor,operrator,opertaor,opperator,opreator,poerator

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Operator - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

oeprator2opeartor2operaotr2operatorr1operatro2operattor1operrator1opertaor2
Edit distance from "Operator"

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 "Operator"?
"Operator" is spelled O-P-E-R-A-T-O-R. The IPA pronunciation is [opəˈʁaːtoːɐ̯].
What does "Operator" mean?
As a noun, "Operator" means: Vorschrift, die aus mathematischen Objekten („Operanden“) neue Objekte bildet
What words are commonly confused with "Operator"?
"Operator" is commonly confused with "operativ", "Operation". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Operator"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Operator" is [opəˈʁaːtoːɐ̯]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Operator" come from?
"Operator" 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 “Operator”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is O-P-E-R-A-T-O-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [opəˈʁaːtoːɐ̯] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “operativ” - see the side-by-side comparison. Operator vs operativ
  • 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