numerus clausus

\ny.me.ʁys klo.zys\

/\ny.me.ʁys klo.zys\/ noun

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency French
15
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Quota autorisé.

Corpus desk

Index FR-numerus-clausus · numerus clausus · French

numerus clausus · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 15 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "N" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for numerus clausus
PropertyValue
Headwordnumerus clausus
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\ny.me.ʁys klo.zys\
Letters15
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Longue queue: rang de « numerus clausus » en français

numerus claususreste hors des 100.000 mots français les plus fréquents, dans la longue queue du vocabulaire technique, archaïque ou rare, là où le doute d'orthographe frappe.

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

Rare enough to double-check

numerus clausus is uncommon French outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed \ny.me.ʁys klo.zys\. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for numerus clausus, suggesting the orthography follows predictable French patterns. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, leaving phoneme-to-grapheme mapping as the best guide to its spelling rather than a borrowing history. The correct French form is numerus clausus, spelled N-U-M-E-R-U-S- -C-L-A-U-S-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Quota autorisé.
  2. 2
    Limite française du nombre d’étudiants et étudiantes en médecine, fixé par arrêté ministériel et instauré en 1971.
  3. 3
    Nombre maximum de médecins pouvant s’installer chaque année, instauré en 2004.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how numerus clausus appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Le numerus clausus très sévère dépend du nombre de places dans les écoles de médecine.
  2. Le numerus clausus ne profite donc qu’aux artisans qui revendent leur licence à prix d’or avant de partir à la retraite.

Antonyms

numerus apertusquorum

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 "numerus clausus"?
"numerus clausus" is spelled N-U-M-E-R-U-S- -C-L-A-U-S-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is \ny.me.ʁys klo.zys\.
What does "numerus clausus" mean?
As a noun, "numerus clausus" means: Quota autorisé.
How do you pronounce "numerus clausus"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "numerus clausus" is \ny.me.ʁys klo.zys\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "numerus clausus" come from?
"numerus clausus" is a French 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.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list