runterkratzen

[ˈʁʊntɐˌkʁat͡sn̩]

/[ˈʁʊntɐˌkʁat͡sn̩]/ verb

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency German
13
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - (etwas) mit den Fingernägeln oder einem scharfen Werkzeug von einer Oberfläche lösen, entfernen

Corpus desk

Index DE-runterkratzen · runterkratzen · German

runterkratzen · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-4 4 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 runterkratzen
PropertyValue
Headwordrunterkratzen
LanguageGerman
Part of speechVerb
IPA[ˈʁʊntɐˌkʁat͡sn̩]
Letters13
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Langschwanz-Rang von „runterkratzen“ im Deutschen

runterkratzensitzt jenseits der 100.000 häufigsten deutschen Formen, im Schwanz spezialisierten oder seltenen Wortschatzes.

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

Rare enough to double-check

runterkratzen is uncommon German outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed [ˈʁʊntɐˌkʁat͡sn̩]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "(etwas) mit den Fingernägeln oder einem scharfen Werkzeug von einer Oberfläche lösen, entfernen".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for runterkratzen, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is runterkratzen, spelled R-U-N-T-E-R-K-R-A-T-Z-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    (etwas) mit den Fingernägeln oder einem scharfen Werkzeug von einer Oberfläche lösen, entfernen

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. „Warum verkaufen Bäcker keine Brezen ohne Salz, obwohl die meisten Leute das Salz wieder runterkratzen?“
  2. „Am Rinnstein daneben sitzt auch ein Babier, der gerade einem Araber den ganzen Kopf eingeseift hat und ihm nun den Bart und hauptsächlich den ganzen Dreck runterkratzt.“

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 "runterkratzen"?
"runterkratzen" is spelled R-U-N-T-E-R-K-R-A-T-Z-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈʁʊntɐˌkʁat͡sn̩].
What does "runterkratzen" mean?
As a verb, "runterkratzen" means: (etwas) mit den Fingernägeln oder einem scharfen Werkzeug von einer Oberfläche lösen, entfernen
How do you pronounce "runterkratzen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "runterkratzen" is [ˈʁʊntɐˌkʁat͡sn̩]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "runterkratzen" come from?
"runterkratzen" 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list