putain de merde

\py.tɛ̃ də mɛʁd\

/\py.tɛ̃ də mɛʁd\/ intj

The verdict

“putain de merde” is outside the top-ranked French vocabulary, used as an interjection - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency French
15
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Expression de surprise ou de colère.

Key facts for putain de merde
PropertyValue
Headwordputain de merde
LanguageFrench
Part of speechInterjection
IPA\py.tɛ̃ də mɛʁd\
Letters15
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “putain de merde” sits in French frequency

putain de merde 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.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The French entry for putain de merde is 15 letters long, classified as an interjection, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \py.tɛ̃ də mɛʁd\. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "Expression de surprise ou de colère.".

No generated misspelling entries exist for putain de merde in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable French patterns. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct French form is putain de merde, spelled P-U-T-A-I-N- -D-E- -M-E-R-D-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Expression de surprise ou de colère.

This word in other languages

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 "putain de merde"?
"putain de merde" is spelled P-U-T-A-I-N- -D-E- -M-E-R-D-E. The IPA pronunciation is \py.tɛ̃ də mɛʁd\.
What does "putain de merde" mean?
As an interjection, "putain de merde" means: Expression de surprise ou de colère.
How do you pronounce "putain de merde"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "putain de merde" is \py.tɛ̃ də mɛʁd\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "putain de merde" come from?
"putain de merde" 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 “putain de merde”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is P-U-T-A-I-N- -D-E- -M-E-R-D-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \py.tɛ̃ də mɛʁd\ (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