leitmotiv

/lajtˈmɔ.t͡ʃif/ [laɪ̯tˈmɔ.t͡ʃif]; /lajtˈmɔ.t͡ʃiv/ [laɪ̯tˈmɔ.t͡ʃiv]

//lajtˈmɔ.t͡ʃif/ [laɪ̯tˈmɔ.t͡ʃif]; /lajtˈmɔ.t͡ʃiv/ [laɪ̯tˈmɔ.t͡ʃiv]/ noun

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

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency Portuguese
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - frase musical curta e constantemente recorrente em uma ópera

Key facts for leitmotiv
PropertyValue
Headwordleitmotiv
LanguagePortuguese
Part of speechNoun
IPA/lajtˈmɔ.t͡ʃif/ [laɪ̯tˈmɔ.t͡ʃif]; /lajtˈmɔ.t͡ʃiv/ [laɪ̯tˈmɔ.t͡ʃiv]
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “leitmotiv” sits in Portuguese frequency

leitmotiv falls outside the top-100,000 ranked Portuguese 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

leitmotiv is uncommon Portuguese outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /lajtˈmɔ.t͡ʃif/ [laɪ̯tˈmɔ.t͡ʃif]; /lajtˈmɔ.t͡ʃiv/ [laɪ̯tˈmɔ.t͡ʃiv]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for leitmotiv, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct Portuguese form is leitmotiv, spelled L-E-I-T-M-O-T-I-V.

Definition

  1. 1
    frase musical curta e constantemente recorrente em uma ópera
  2. 2
    tema central e recorrente em uma obra (fílmica, literária, musical, etc.), que acompanha um personagem, um sentimento ou certo objeto
  3. 3
    toda motivação, temática ou assunto central e recorrente, repetitivo

This word in other languages

leitmotif(English)leitmotif(Español)leitmotiv(Français)Leitmotiv(Deutsch)

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 "leitmotiv"?
"leitmotiv" is spelled L-E-I-T-M-O-T-I-V. The IPA pronunciation is /lajtˈmɔ.t͡ʃif/ [laɪ̯tˈmɔ.t͡ʃif]; /lajtˈmɔ.t͡ʃiv/ [laɪ̯tˈmɔ.t͡ʃiv].
What does "leitmotiv" mean?
As a noun, "leitmotiv" means: frase musical curta e constantemente recorrente em uma ópera
How do you pronounce "leitmotiv"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "leitmotiv" is /lajtˈmɔ.t͡ʃif/ [laɪ̯tˈmɔ.t͡ʃif]; /lajtˈmɔ.t͡ʃiv/ [laɪ̯tˈmɔ.t͡ʃiv]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "leitmotiv" come from?
"leitmotiv" is a Portuguese word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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 “leitmotiv”

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

  • The one correct Portuguese spelling is L-E-I-T-M-O-T-I-V - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /lajtˈmɔ.t͡ʃif/ [laɪ̯tˈmɔ.t͡ʃif]; /lajtˈmɔ.t͡ʃiv/ [laɪ̯tˈmɔ.t͡ʃiv] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more Portuguese words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Portuguese 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