Schlüssel

[ˈʃlʏsl̩]

/[ˈʃlʏsl̩]/ noun

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

The verdict

“Schlüssel” has 14 generated spelling variants in the German index at frequency #3,149. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#3,149
frequency rank, German
107,600
“S” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
11
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Gegenstand zum Schließen und Öffnen eines Schlosses

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Schlüssel vs Schüsse
78% similar
Schlüssel vs Schüssel
89% similar
Schlüssel vs Schüssen
78% similar

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

Key facts for Schlüssel
PropertyValue
HeadwordSchlüssel
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈʃlʏsl̩]
Letters9
Frequency rank#3,149
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs11
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Schlüssel” 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). Schlüssel lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around Schlüssel (IPA [ˈʃlʏsl̩]), anoun. Corpus frequency is #3,149 among 107,600 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 10 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for Schlüssel, with forms such as "cshlüssel", "scchlüssel", and "schhlüssel". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 11 confusable-pair relationships, "Schüsse", "Schüssel", "Schüssen", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct German form is Schlüssel, spelled S-C-H-L-Ü-S-S-E-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    Gegenstand zum Schließen und Öffnen eines Schlosses
  2. 2
    Gegenstand zum Schließen und Öffnen eines Schlosses
  3. 3
    Gegenstand zum Schließen und Öffnen eines Schlosses
  4. 4
    kurz für Notenschlüssel
  5. 5
    Information, um eine Nachricht zu verschlüsseln oder zu entschlüsseln
  6. 6
    Werkzeug zum Anziehen oder Lösen von Schrauben
  7. 7
    kurz für Datenbankschlüssel – eindeutige Kennzeichnung von Datensätzen
  8. 8
    Mittel, um ein Ziel zu erreichen oder ein Problem zu lösen
  9. 9
    Lösungen zu gestellten Fragen
  10. 10
    Schema, wie (Geld- oder Personal-)Mittel zugewiesen, aufgeteilt, verteilt oder aufgegliedert werden

Synonyms

NotenschlüsselCodeGeheimzahlSchraubenschlüssel

This word in other languages

key(English)llave(Español)clé(Français)chave(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • cshlüssel
  • scchlüssel
  • schhlüssel
  • schllüssel
  • schlsüsel
  • schlüsel
  • schlüsesl
  • schlüssell
  • schlüssle
  • schlüßel
  • schülssel
  • sclhüssel
  • shclüssel
  • sschlüssel

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

cshlüssel2scchlüssel1schhlüssel1schllüssel1schlsüsel2schlüsel1schlüsesl2schlüssell1
Edit distance from "Schlüssel"

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 "Schlüssel"?
"Schlüssel" is spelled S-C-H-L-Ü-S-S-E-L. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈʃlʏsl̩].
What does "Schlüssel" mean?
As a noun, "Schlüssel" means: Gegenstand zum Schließen und Öffnen eines Schlosses
What words are commonly confused with "Schlüssel"?
"Schlüssel" is commonly confused with "Schüsse", "Schüssel", "Schüssen". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Schlüssel"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Schlüssel" is [ˈʃlʏsl̩]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Schlüssel" come from?
"Schlüssel" 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 “Schlüssel”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is S-C-H-L-Ü-S-S-E-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈʃlʏsl̩] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Schüsse” - see the side-by-side comparison. Schlüssel vs Schüsse
  • Browse more German words and confusable pairs in the same reference. German words

Same frequency band

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