leitmotiv

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

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

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 September 3, 2026) - frase musical curta e constantemente recorrente em uma ópera

Corpus desk

Index PT-leitmotiv · leitmotiv · Portuguese

leitmotiv · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "L" 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 leitmotiv
PropertyValue
Headwordleitmotiv
LanguagePortuguese
Part of speechNoun
IPA/lajtˈmɔ.t͡ʃif/ [laɪ̯tˈmɔ.t͡ʃif]; /lajtˈmɔ.t͡ʃiv/ [laɪ̯tˈmɔ.t͡ʃiv]
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Cauda longa: rank de “leitmotiv” em português

leitmotivnão entra no top 100.000 do português: zona de termos técnicos, arcaicos ou escassos.

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

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. De um lado, temos o uso dos leitmotiv, temas recorrentes que, em suas óperas, se associam a momentos específicos e vão reaparecendo ao longo da trama, comentando a ação, no caso, a flutuação de sensações das personagens.
  2. O leitmotiv era a tentação impetuosa de ser bom num mundo e em circunstâncias que tornam a bondade impossível e autodestrutiva.

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 "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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list