Wendehals

[ˈvɛndəˌhals]

/[ˈvɛndəˌhals]/ noun

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

The verdict

“Wendehals” is uncommon German (frequency #96,514 among 38,697 “W” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#96,514
frequency rank, German
38,697
“W” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Vogel , der seinen Kopf ständig hin und her dreht

Key facts for Wendehals
PropertyValue
HeadwordWendehals
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈvɛndəˌhals]
Letters9
Frequency rank#96,514
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Wendehals” 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). Wendehals lands here:

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

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

Rare enough to double-check

Wendehals is uncommon German at frequency #96,514 among 38,697 “W” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed [ˈvɛndəˌhals]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Wendehals doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, 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 Wendehals, spelled W-E-N-D-E-H-A-L-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Vogel , der seinen Kopf ständig hin und her dreht
  2. 2
    Vertreter der Vogelgattung Jynx
  3. 3
    politischer Opportunist, der seine Überzeugungen schnell ändert, wenn ihm dies zum Vorteil gereicht (vor allem nach der Wende von 1989 in der DDR)

Synonyms

Opportunist

This word in other languages

wryneck(English)torcol fourmilier(Français)

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 "Wendehals"?
"Wendehals" is spelled W-E-N-D-E-H-A-L-S. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈvɛndəˌhals].
What does "Wendehals" mean?
As a noun, "Wendehals" means: Vogel , der seinen Kopf ständig hin und her dreht
How do you pronounce "Wendehals"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Wendehals" is [ˈvɛndəˌhals]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Wendehals" come from?
"Wendehals" 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 “Wendehals”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is W-E-N-D-E-H-A-L-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈvɛndəˌhals] (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

Other uncommon German words near this rank

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