# spiel

> English word · Noun · IPA /ʃpiːl/ · frequency rank #43,932

## Definitions
1. A lengthy and extravagant speech or argument usually intended to persuade.
2. An early form of rap music.

## Etymology
Borrowed from German Spiel (“game, performance”) or Yiddish שפּיל (shpil), both from Middle High German spil, from Old High German spil, from Proto-West Germanic *spil.
Cognate with Old English spilian (“to revel, play”). See speel.

## Easily confused with
- **SPL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-spl)
- **spin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-spin)
- **spit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-spit)
- **still** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-still)
- **steel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-steel)
- **spite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-spite)
- **spike** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-spike)
- **spine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-spine)
- **spill** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-spill)
- **spoil** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-spoil)
- **spies** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-spies)
- **spree** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-spree)
- **spins** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-spins)
- **swirl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-swirl)
- **spire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-spire)
- **spilt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-spilt)
- **spool** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-spool)
- **spiky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-spiky)
- **spiro** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-spiro)
- **spina** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiel-vs-spina)

## Common misspellings (7)
`psiel`, `sipel`, `speil`, `spiell`, `spile`, `sppiel`, `sspiel`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/spiel