Unterhalt

[ˈʊntɐˌhalt]

/[ˈʊntɐˌhalt]/ noun

The verdict

“Unterhalt” is a moderately-common German word, ranked #10,192 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#10,192
frequency rank, German
9
letters
14
tracked misspellings
9
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - materielle Absicherung für Personen

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Unterhalt vs untersagt
67% similar
Unterhalt vs Unterwelt
78% similar
Unterhalt vs Unterhaus
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Unterhalt
PropertyValue
HeadwordUnterhalt
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈʊntɐˌhalt]
Letters9
Frequency rank#10,192
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs9
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Unterhalt” sits in German frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Unterhalt lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The German entry for Unterhalt is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈʊntɐˌhalt]. Corpus data places it at rank #10,192 in overall German word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for Unterhalt, with forms such as "nuterhalt", "unetrhalt", and "unnterhalt". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 9 confusable-pair relationships, "untersagt", "Unterwelt", "Unterhaus", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is Unterhalt, spelled U-N-T-E-R-H-A-L-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    materielle Absicherung für Personen
  2. 2
    Instandhaltung eines Objekts

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: nuterhalt,unetrhalt,unnterhalt,untehralt,unterahlt,unterhallt,unterhaltt,unterhatl,unterhhalt,unterhlat,unterrhalt,untrehalt,untterhalt,utnerhalt

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Unterhalt - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

nuterhalt2unetrhalt2unnterhalt1untehralt2unterahlt2unterhallt1unterhaltt1unterhatl2
Edit distance from "Unterhalt"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 German corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Unterhalt"?
"Unterhalt" is spelled U-N-T-E-R-H-A-L-T. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈʊntɐˌhalt].
What does "Unterhalt" mean?
As a noun, "Unterhalt" means: materielle Absicherung für Personen
What words are commonly confused with "Unterhalt"?
"Unterhalt" is commonly confused with "untersagt", "Unterwelt", "Unterhaus". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Unterhalt"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Unterhalt" is [ˈʊntɐˌhalt]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Unterhalt" come from?
"Unterhalt" 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 “Unterhalt”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is U-N-T-E-R-H-A-L-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈʊntɐˌhalt] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “untersagt” - see the side-by-side comparison. Unterhalt vs untersagt
  • 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