sui generis

[ˈzuːi ˈɡeːneʁɪs]

/[ˈzuːi ˈɡeːneʁɪs]/ phrase

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency German
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - einzigartig in seinen Eigenschaften, von einer eigenen Art

Corpus desk

Index DE-sui-generis · sui generis · German

sui generis · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "S" 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 sui generis
PropertyValue
Headwordsui generis
LanguageGerman
Part of speechPhrase
IPA[ˈzuːi ˈɡeːneʁɪs]
Letters11
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Langschwanz-Rang von „sui generis“ im Deutschen

sui generisliegt außerhalb der 100.000 häufigsten deutschen Wörter, im Langschwanz technischer, archaischer oder seltener Formen, genau dort, wo Schreibzweifeln zuschlagen.

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

Rare enough to double-check

sui generis is uncommon German outside the top frequency list, classed as aphrase, transcribed [ˈzuːi ˈɡeːneʁɪs]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "einzigartig in seinen Eigenschaften, von einer eigenen Art".

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for sui generis, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is sui generis, spelled S-U-I- -G-E-N-E-R-I-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    einzigartig in seinen Eigenschaften, von einer eigenen Art

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. „Dass ein im Bewusstsein dieser kriegserfüllten Zeit so sensibles Thema wie der Friede mit diesem Hinweis periodisiert wurde, machte aus seiner Biographie eine Größe sui generis.“
  2. Die Vor-GmbH ist eine Organisationsform sui generis.

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 "sui generis"?
"sui generis" is spelled S-U-I- -G-E-N-E-R-I-S. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈzuːi ˈɡeːneʁɪs].
What does "sui generis" mean?
As a phrase, "sui generis" means: einzigartig in seinen Eigenschaften, von einer eigenen Art
How do you pronounce "sui generis"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sui generis" is [ˈzuːi ˈɡeːneʁɪs]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "sui generis" come from?
"sui generis" 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