Neanderthal
/niːˈæn.dəˌtɑːl/
"neanderthal" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“Neanderthal” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #30,896 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.
- #30,896
- frequency rank, English
- 11
- letters
- 17
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Of or pertaining to Homo neanderthalensis.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | Neanderthal |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adjective |
| IPA | /niːˈæn.dəˌtɑːl/ |
| Letters | 11 |
| Frequency rank | #30,896 |
| Misspellings tracked | 17 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “Neanderthal” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for Neanderthal is 11 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /niːˈæn.dəˌtɑːl/. Corpus data places it at rank #30,896 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for Neanderthal, with forms such as "enanderthal", "naenderthal", and "neadnerthal". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. 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.
Etymologically, the entry records: From obsolete German Neanderthal, now spelled Neandertal, the name of a valley (German Tal, older also spelled Thal) near Düsseldorf where the first Neanderthal was discovered in 1856. A hollow near the valley was known as Neanderhöhle (“Neander Hollow”) an… The correct English form is Neanderthal, spelled N-E-A-N-D-E-R-T-H-A-L.
Definition
- 1Of or pertaining to Homo neanderthalensis.
- 2Old-fashioned, opposed to change.
- 3Of or pertaining to the Neander Valley in Germany.
Etymology
From obsolete German Neanderthal, now spelled Neandertal, the name of a valley (German Tal, older also spelled Thal) near Düsseldorf where the first Neanderthal was discovered in 1856. A hollow near the valley was known as Neanderhöhle (“Neander Hollow”) and Neandershöhle (“Neander’s Hollow”) in the early 19th century, and the valley had been renamed to Neanderthal in 1850, in honour of the German Calvinist theologian and hymn writer Joachim Neander (1650–1680). Before, the valley was known as das Gesteins (literally “The Rocks [sg.]”) and Hundsklipp (literally “Dog Cliff”). The name of Joachim Neander is based on the Ancient Greek translation (νέος (néos) + ᾰ̓νήρ (ănḗr)) of his original surname Neumann (“Newman”). The pronunciation with the "th" sound (/θ/) is a spelling pronunciation; the original German word is pronounced with a "t" sound (/t/).
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: enanderthal,naenderthal,neadnerthal,neandderthal,neanderhtal,neanderrthal,neandertahl,neanderthall,neanderthhal,neanderthla,neandertthal,neandetrhal,neandrethal,neanedrthal,neannderthal,nenaderthal,nneanderthal
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Neanderthal - 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.
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 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "Neanderthal"?
What does "Neanderthal" mean?
What are common misspellings of "Neanderthal"?
How do you pronounce "Neanderthal"?
What is the origin of the word "Neanderthal"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “Neanderthal”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is N-E-A-N-D-E-R-T-H-A-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /niːˈæn.dəˌtɑːl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English 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.