sublim

[zuˈbliːm]

/[zuˈbliːm]/ adj

The verdict

“sublim” is outside the top-ranked German vocabulary, used as an adjective - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency German
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - erhaben, verfeinert, nur einem feineren Verständnis oder Empfinden zugänglich

Key facts for sublim
PropertyValue
Headwordsublim
LanguageGerman
Part of speechAdjective
IPA[zuˈbliːm]
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “sublim” sits in German frequency

sublim 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 sublim is 6 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [zuˈbliːm]. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "erhaben, verfeinert, nur einem feineren Verständnis oder Empfinden zugänglich".

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for sublim, a sign its spelling follows regular German conventions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is sublim, spelled S-U-B-L-I-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    erhaben, verfeinert, nur einem feineren Verständnis oder Empfinden zugänglich

Synonyms

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 "sublim"?
"sublim" is spelled S-U-B-L-I-M. The IPA pronunciation is [zuˈbliːm].
What does "sublim" mean?
As an adjective, "sublim" means: erhaben, verfeinert, nur einem feineren Verständnis oder Empfinden zugänglich
How do you pronounce "sublim"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sublim" is [zuˈbliːm]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "sublim" come from?
"sublim" 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 “sublim”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is S-U-B-L-I-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [zuˈbliːm] (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