leitmotif

[lejt̪moˈt̪if]

/[lejt̪moˈt̪if]/ noun

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

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency Spanish
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Leitmotiv.

Key facts for leitmotif
PropertyValue
Headwordleitmotif
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechNoun
IPA[lejt̪moˈt̪if]
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “leitmotif” sits in Spanish frequency

leitmotif 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

leitmotif is uncommon Spanish outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed [lejt̪moˈt̪if]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Leitmotiv.".

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for leitmotif, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. 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.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct Spanish form is leitmotif, spelled L-E-I-T-M-O-T-I-F.

Definition

  1. 1
    Leitmotiv.

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 "leitmotif"?
"leitmotif" is spelled L-E-I-T-M-O-T-I-F. The IPA pronunciation is [lejt̪moˈt̪if].
What does "leitmotif" mean?
As a noun, "leitmotif" means: Leitmotiv.
How do you pronounce "leitmotif"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "leitmotif" is [lejt̪moˈt̪if]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "leitmotif" come from?
"leitmotif" is a Spanish word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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 “leitmotif”

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

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is L-E-I-T-M-O-T-I-F - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [lejt̪moˈt̪if] (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