schmierig

[ˈʃmiːʁɪç]

/[ˈʃmiːʁɪç]/ adj

The verdict

“schmierig” is an uncommon German word, ranked #62,828 in German word frequency and used as an adjective.

#62,828
frequency rank, German
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - feucht klebrig, glatt rutschig

Key facts for schmierig
PropertyValue
Headwordschmierig
LanguageGerman
Part of speechAdjective
IPA[ˈʃmiːʁɪç]
Letters9
Frequency rank#62,828
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “schmierig” 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). schmierig 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 schmierig is 9 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈʃmiːʁɪç]. Corpus data places it at rank #62,828 in overall German word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for schmierig, suggesting the orthography follows predictable German patterns. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, leaving phoneme-to-grapheme mapping as the best guide to its spelling rather than a borrowing history. The correct German form is schmierig, spelled S-C-H-M-I-E-R-I-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    feucht klebrig, glatt rutschig
  2. 2
    glatt, widerlich, unangenehm freundlich
  3. 3
    unanständig, verfänglich

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); 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 "schmierig"?
"schmierig" is spelled S-C-H-M-I-E-R-I-G. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈʃmiːʁɪç].
What does "schmierig" mean?
As an adjective, "schmierig" means: feucht klebrig, glatt rutschig
How do you pronounce "schmierig"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "schmierig" is [ˈʃmiːʁɪç]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "schmierig" come from?
"schmierig" 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 “schmierig”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is S-C-H-M-I-E-R-I-G - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈʃmiːʁɪç] (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
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