Rotfeder

[ˈʁoːtˌfeːdɐ]

/[ˈʁoːtˌfeːdɐ]/ noun

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency German
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Süßwasserfisch mit großen Schuppen und orangeroten Flossen, der in Schwärmen in einigen Gewässern Europas und Westasiens lebt (Scardinius erythrophthalmus)

Corpus desk

Index DE-rotfeder · Rotfeder · German

Rotfeder · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "R" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for Rotfeder
PropertyValue
HeadwordRotfeder
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈʁoːtˌfeːdɐ]
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Langschwanz-Rang von „Rotfeder“ im Deutschen

Rotfederliegt außerhalb der 100.000 häufigsten deutschen Wörter, im Langschwanz technischer, archaischer oder seltener Formen, genau dort, wo Schreibzweifeln zuschlagen.

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

Rare enough to double-check

Rotfeder is uncommon German outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed [ˈʁoːtˌfeːdɐ]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Süßwasserfisch mit großen Schuppen und orangeroten Flossen, der in Schwärmen in einigen Gewässern Europas und Westasiens lebt (Scardinius erythrophthalmus)".

No generated misspelling entries exist for Rotfeder in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, 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 Rotfeder, spelled R-O-T-F-E-D-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Süßwasserfisch mit großen Schuppen und orangeroten Flossen, der in Schwärmen in einigen Gewässern Europas und Westasiens lebt (Scardinius erythrophthalmus)

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how Rotfeder appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. „Zwei Libellen tanzten vorbei, ein Wasserhuhn gründelte und ein Schwarm kleiner Rotfedern sonnte sich dicht unterm Wasserspiegel.“

This word in other languages

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 "Rotfeder"?
"Rotfeder" is spelled R-O-T-F-E-D-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈʁoːtˌfeːdɐ].
What does "Rotfeder" mean?
As a noun, "Rotfeder" means: Süßwasserfisch mit großen Schuppen und orangeroten Flossen, der in Schwärmen in einigen Gewässern Europas und Westasiens lebt (Scardinius erythrophthalmus)
How do you pronounce "Rotfeder"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Rotfeder" is [ˈʁoːtˌfeːdɐ]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Rotfeder" come from?
"Rotfeder" 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.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list