lapsus linguae

/ˈlap.sus ˈlin.gu.aɪ/

//ˈlap.sus ˈlin.gu.aɪ// phrase

The verdict

“lapsus linguae” is uncommon Spanish (outside the top frequency list), classed as a phrase. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency Spanish
14
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Desliz o malentendido lingüístico.

Key facts for lapsus linguae
PropertyValue
Headwordlapsus linguae
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechPhrase
IPA/ˈlap.sus ˈlin.gu.aɪ/
Letters14
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lapsus linguae” sits in Spanish frequency

lapsus linguae falls outside the top-100,000 ranked Spanish words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

lapsus linguae is uncommon Spanish outside the top frequency list, classed as aphrase, transcribed /ˈlap.sus ˈlin.gu.aɪ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Desliz o malentendido lingüístico.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for lapsus linguae, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct Spanish form is lapsus linguae, spelled L-A-P-S-U-S- -L-I-N-G-U-A-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Desliz o malentendido lingüístico.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "lapsus linguae"?
"lapsus linguae" is spelled L-A-P-S-U-S- -L-I-N-G-U-A-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlap.sus ˈlin.gu.aɪ/.
What does "lapsus linguae" mean?
As a phrase, "lapsus linguae" means: Desliz o malentendido lingüístico.
How do you pronounce "lapsus linguae"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lapsus linguae" is /ˈlap.sus ˈlin.gu.aɪ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "lapsus linguae" come from?
"lapsus linguae" is a Spanish 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 “lapsus linguae”

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

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is L-A-P-S-U-S- -L-I-N-G-U-A-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈlap.sus ˈlin.gu.aɪ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish 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