Übertötung

[yːbɐˈtøːtʊŋ]

/[yːbɐˈtøːtʊŋ]/ noun

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

The verdict

“Übertötung” 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
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - das Töten eines Lebewesens auf besonders brutale/grausame Weise

Key facts for Übertötung
PropertyValue
HeadwordÜbertötung
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[yːbɐˈtøːtʊŋ]
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Übertötung” sits in German frequency

Übertötung 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 Übertötung is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [yːbɐˈtøːtʊŋ]. 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: "das Töten eines Lebewesens auf besonders brutale/grausame Weise".

Zero misspellings are on record for Übertötung in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct German form is Übertötung, spelled Ü-B-E-R-T-Ö-T-U-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    das Töten eines Lebewesens auf besonders brutale/grausame Weise

Synonyms

Overkill

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 "Übertötung"?
"Übertötung" is spelled Ü-B-E-R-T-Ö-T-U-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is [yːbɐˈtøːtʊŋ].
What does "Übertötung" mean?
As a noun, "Übertötung" means: das Töten eines Lebewesens auf besonders brutale/grausame Weise
How do you pronounce "Übertötung"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Übertötung" is [yːbɐˈtøːtʊŋ]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Übertötung" come from?
"Übertötung" 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 “Übertötung”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is Ü-B-E-R-T-Ö-T-U-N-G - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [yːbɐˈtøːtʊŋ] (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