Periphrase

[peʁiˈfʁaːzə]

/[peʁiˈfʁaːzə]/ noun

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

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency German
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Tropus, rhetorische Wendung, die der Umschreibung eines sprachlichen Ausdrucks (Wort/Satzglied) durch Verwendung bekannter/wiedererkennbarer Eigenschaften des Gemeinten dient

Key facts for Periphrase
PropertyValue
HeadwordPeriphrase
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[peʁiˈfʁaːzə]
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Periphrase” sits in German frequency

Periphrase falls outside the top-100,000 ranked German words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

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

Rare enough to double-check

Periphrase is uncommon German outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed [peʁiˈfʁaːzə]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Tropus, rhetorische Wendung, die der Umschreibung eines sprachlichen Ausdrucks (Wort/Satzglied) durch Verwendung bekannter/wiedererkennbarer Eigenschaften des Gemeinten dient".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for Periphrase, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is Periphrase, spelled P-E-R-I-P-H-R-A-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Tropus, rhetorische Wendung, die der Umschreibung eines sprachlichen Ausdrucks (Wort/Satzglied) durch Verwendung bekannter/wiedererkennbarer Eigenschaften des Gemeinten dient

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 "Periphrase"?
"Periphrase" is spelled P-E-R-I-P-H-R-A-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is [peʁiˈfʁaːzə].
What does "Periphrase" mean?
As a noun, "Periphrase" means: Tropus, rhetorische Wendung, die der Umschreibung eines sprachlichen Ausdrucks (Wort/Satzglied) durch Verwendung bekannter/wiedererkennbarer Eigenschaften des Gemeinten dient
How do you pronounce "Periphrase"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Periphrase" is [peʁiˈfʁaːzə]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Periphrase" come from?
"Periphrase" 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 “Periphrase”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is P-E-R-I-P-H-R-A-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [peʁiˈfʁaːzə] (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