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 May 6, 2026) - Quota autorisé.

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)

Where “numerus clausus” sits in French frequency

numerus clausus falls outside the top-100,000 ranked French 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

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.

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.

Using “numerus clausus”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is N-U-M-E-R-U-S- -C-L-A-U-S-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \ny.me.ʁys klo.zys\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more French words and confusable pairs in the same reference. French 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list