untruth

Name: untruth, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ʌnˈtɹuːθ/

//ʌnˈtɹuːθ// noun

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“untruth” is an uncommon English word, ranked #73,761 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#73,761
frequency rank, English: 7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A lie or falsehood.

Key facts for untruth
Property	Value
Headword	untruth
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/ʌnˈtɹuːθ/
Letters	7
Frequency rank	#73,761
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “untruth” sits in English 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). untruth lands here:

#73,761

#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 English entry for untruth is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ʌnˈtɹuːθ/. Corpus data places it at rank #73,761 in overall English 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 untruth in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English untreuth, from Old English untrēowþ and unġetrēowþ, from Proto-West Germanic *untriuwiþu and *ungatriuwiþu, equivalent to un- + truth. Cognate with Old High German ungitriuwida. The correct English form is untruth, spelled U-N-T-R-U-T-H.

Definition

1
A lie or falsehood.
2
The condition of being false; truthlessness.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English untreuth, from Old English untrēowþ and unġetrēowþ, from Proto-West Germanic *untriuwiþu and *ungatriuwiþu, equivalent to un- + truth. Cognate with Old High German ungitriuwida.

Synonyms

falsehood

This word in other languages

mensonge(Français)Unwahrheit(Deutsch)inverdade(Português)

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 "untruth"?

"untruth" is spelled U-N-T-R-U-T-H. The IPA pronunciation is /ʌnˈtɹuːθ/.

What does "untruth" mean?

As a noun, "untruth" means: A lie or falsehood.

How do you pronounce "untruth"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "untruth" is /ʌnˈtɹuːθ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "untruth"?

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 “untruth”

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

The one correct English spelling is U-N-T-R-U-T-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ʌnˈtɹuːθ/ (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.