paw

[paf]

/[paf]/ noun

The verdict

“paw” is uncommon German (frequency #83,146 among 49,534 “P” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#83,146
frequency rank, German
49,534
“P” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Pfau (Pavo cristatus)

Key facts for paw
PropertyValue
Headwordpaw
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[paf]
Letters3
Frequency rank#83,146
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “paw” 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). paw 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

paw is uncommon German at frequency #83,146 among 49,534 “P” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed [paf]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for paw in our index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct German form is paw, spelled P-A-W.

Definition

  1. 1
    Pfau (Pavo cristatus)
  2. 2
    Erbrochenes

Synonyms

wymioty

Antonyms

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 "paw"?
"paw" is spelled P-A-W. The IPA pronunciation is [paf].
What does "paw" mean?
As a noun, "paw" means: Pfau (Pavo cristatus)
How do you pronounce "paw"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "paw" is [paf]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "paw" come from?
"paw" 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 “paw”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is P-A-W - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [paf] (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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list