torture

[tɔːtʃə(r)]

/[tɔːtʃə(r)]/ noun

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

The verdict

“torture” 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) - das Hinzufügen von starken Schmerzen zur Bestrafung oder Überredung

Key facts for torture
PropertyValue
Headwordtorture
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[tɔːtʃə(r)]
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “torture” sits in German frequency

torture 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 torture is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [tɔːtʃə(r)]. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

torture has no tracked misspelling variants, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is torture, spelled T-O-R-T-U-R-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    das Hinzufügen von starken Schmerzen zur Bestrafung oder Überredung
  2. 2
    große körperliche oder seelische Schmerzen oder Qualen

Synonyms

afflictionordealtormentafflictionagonyanguishmartyrdomordealracktorment

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 "torture"?
"torture" is spelled T-O-R-T-U-R-E. The IPA pronunciation is [tɔːtʃə(r)].
What does "torture" mean?
As a noun, "torture" means: das Hinzufügen von starken Schmerzen zur Bestrafung oder Überredung
How do you pronounce "torture"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "torture" is [tɔːtʃə(r)]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "torture" come from?
"torture" 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.

Using “torture”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is T-O-R-T-U-R-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [tɔːtʃə(r)] (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