Quälerei

[kvɛːləˈʁaɪ̯]

/[kvɛːləˈʁaɪ̯]/ noun

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

The verdict

“Quälerei” is uncommon German (frequency #71,754 among 3,618 “Q” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#71,754
frequency rank, German
3,618
“Q” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - andauernde Verursachung von Qualen

Key facts for Quälerei
PropertyValue
HeadwordQuälerei
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[kvɛːləˈʁaɪ̯]
Letters8
Frequency rank#71,754
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Quälerei” 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). Quälerei 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

Quälerei is uncommon German at frequency #71,754 among 3,618 “Q” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed [kvɛːləˈʁaɪ̯]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for Quälerei in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

No documented word history exists for this headword, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct German form is Quälerei, spelled Q-U-Ä-L-E-R-E-I.

Definition

  1. 1
    andauernde Verursachung von Qualen
  2. 2
    das Vorhandensein von Qualen
  3. 3
    eine Qualen verursachende Tätigkeit

Synonyms

FolterGequäleMisshandlungPeinigungQuälenSchindereiDrangsalLeidQualSchmerzPlackereiStrapazeTortur

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 "Quälerei"?
"Quälerei" is spelled Q-U-Ä-L-E-R-E-I. The IPA pronunciation is [kvɛːləˈʁaɪ̯].
What does "Quälerei" mean?
As a noun, "Quälerei" means: andauernde Verursachung von Qualen
How do you pronounce "Quälerei"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Quälerei" is [kvɛːləˈʁaɪ̯]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Quälerei" come from?
"Quälerei" 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 “Quälerei”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is Q-U-Ä-L-E-R-E-I - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [kvɛːləˈʁaɪ̯] (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