Prinzip

[pʁɪnˈt͡siːp]

/[pʁɪnˈt͡siːp]/ noun

The verdict

“Prinzip” is a regularly-used German word, ranked #1,985 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,985
frequency rank, German
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Grundsatz oder Maßstab des Handelns, der einen Mensch leitet

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Prinzip vs Prinzips
88% similar
Prinzip vs Prinz
71% similar
Prinzip vs Prinzen
71% similar

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

Key facts for Prinzip
PropertyValue
HeadwordPrinzip
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[pʁɪnˈt͡siːp]
Letters7
Frequency rank#1,985
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Prinzip” 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). Prinzip 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 Prinzip is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [pʁɪnˈt͡siːp]. Corpus data places it at rank #1,985 in overall German word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. 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 Prinzip, with forms such as "pirnzip", "pprinzip", and "prinizp". 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 3 confusable-pair relationships, "Prinzips", "Prinz", "Prinzen", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct German form is Prinzip, spelled P-R-I-N-Z-I-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    Grundsatz oder Maßstab des Handelns, der einen Mensch leitet
  2. 2
    Grundgedanke, auf den eine Institution, Organisation, ein Projekt, ein Gegenstand aufbaut
  3. 3
    Grundsatz, Leitsatz in einer Wissenschaft, der beschreibt, wie etwas abläuft

Synonyms

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: pirnzip,pprinzip,prinizp,prinnzip,prinzipp,prinzpi,prinzzip,priznip,prnizip,prrinzip,rpinzip

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Prinzip - 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.

pirnzip2pprinzip1prinizp2prinnzip1prinzipp1prinzpi2prinzzip1priznip2
Edit distance from "Prinzip"

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 "Prinzip"?
"Prinzip" is spelled P-R-I-N-Z-I-P. The IPA pronunciation is [pʁɪnˈt͡siːp].
What does "Prinzip" mean?
As a noun, "Prinzip" means: Grundsatz oder Maßstab des Handelns, der einen Mensch leitet
What words are commonly confused with "Prinzip"?
"Prinzip" is commonly confused with "Prinzips", "Prinz", "Prinzen". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Prinzip"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Prinzip" is [pʁɪnˈt͡siːp]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Prinzip" come from?
"Prinzip" 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 “Prinzip”

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

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