vertigo

[vɜːtɪɡəʊ]

/[vɜːtɪɡəʊ]/ noun

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

The verdict

“vertigo” is an uncommon German word, ranked #64,844 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#64,844
frequency rank, German
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Schwindel, Schwindelgefühl

Key facts for vertigo
PropertyValue
Headwordvertigo
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[vɜːtɪɡəʊ]
Letters7
Frequency rank#64,844
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “vertigo” 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). vertigo 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 vertigo is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [vɜːtɪɡəʊ]. Corpus data places it at rank #64,844 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.

No misspelling variants are generated for vertigo in our index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

No documented word history exists for this headword, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct German form is vertigo, spelled V-E-R-T-I-G-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    Schwindel, Schwindelgefühl
  2. 2
    Höhenangst (eigentlich nur das Schwindelgefühl, das sich einstellt, wenn eine Person mit Höhenangst in die Tiefe schaut)

Synonyms

dizzinessacrophobia

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 "vertigo"?
"vertigo" is spelled V-E-R-T-I-G-O. The IPA pronunciation is [vɜːtɪɡəʊ].
What does "vertigo" mean?
As a noun, "vertigo" means: Schwindel, Schwindelgefühl
How do you pronounce "vertigo"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "vertigo" is [vɜːtɪɡəʊ]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "vertigo" come from?
"vertigo" 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 “vertigo”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is V-E-R-T-I-G-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [vɜːtɪɡəʊ] (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