scourge

[skɜːdʒ]

/[skɜːdʒ]/ noun

The verdict

“scourge” is outside the top-ranked German vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency German
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - eine spezielle Peitsche, zumeist mit mehreren Riemen, die benutzt wird um körperliche Strafen durchzuführen; Geißel, Peitsche

Key facts for scourge
PropertyValue
Headwordscourge
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[skɜːdʒ]
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “scourge” sits in German frequency

scourge falls outside the top-100,000 ranked German words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The German entry for scourge is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [skɜːdʒ]. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

scourge has no tracked misspelling variants, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable German rules. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

No explicit etymology string is stored 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 scourge, spelled S-C-O-U-R-G-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    eine spezielle Peitsche, zumeist mit mehreren Riemen, die benutzt wird um körperliche Strafen durchzuführen; Geißel, Peitsche
  2. 2
    im übetragenen Sinn: ein Instrument um Strafen zu verteilen
  3. 3
    eine Person, die Rache ausübt

Synonyms

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 "scourge"?
"scourge" is spelled S-C-O-U-R-G-E. The IPA pronunciation is [skɜːdʒ].
What does "scourge" mean?
As a noun, "scourge" means: eine spezielle Peitsche, zumeist mit mehreren Riemen, die benutzt wird um körperliche Strafen durchzuführen; Geißel, Peitsche
How do you pronounce "scourge"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "scourge" is [skɜːdʒ]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "scourge" come from?
"scourge" 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 “scourge”

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

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