z

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈzē 

Canadian, British, and Australian

ˈzed 

chiefly dialectal

ˈi-zərd 

variants often Z

plural z's or zs

often attributive

1

a

: the 26th and last letter of the English alphabet

b

: a graphic representation of this letter

c

: a speech counterpart of orthographic z

2

: a graphic device for reproducing the letter z

3

: one designated z especially as the 26th in order or class or the third in order or class when x is made the first

4

: something shaped like the letter Z

5

: wink sense 1

—usually used in plural

catch some z's before dinner

z

2 of 4

abbreviation (1)

1

zero

2

zone

Z

3 of 4

noun (2)

: z particle

Z

4 of 4

abbreviation (2)

variants or ZD

zenith distance

Did you know?

Words Starting With Z

Browse 1,234 words and phrases that start with the letter Z from za to Zyzzogeton.

Synonyms of z

Noun (1)

• napping
• resting
• slumbering
• bed
• slumber
• sleep
• rest

Examples of z in a Sentence

Noun (1)

a word that begins with a z

a word that begins with z

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Fast-forward from the lair of a mythical creature to the feeds of Gen-Z influencers and tangy, curd-y cheese is still having a moment. — Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Aug. 2026

Last week, India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned in response to the Gen Z student protests — which Gola welcomed. — Priyanka Salve,raksha Murali, CNBC, 2 Aug. 2026

Other surveys, from more disinterested sources than Fandango, indicate that although theater attendance has somewhat recovered from its pandemic lows, Gen Z sees fewer movies than past generations of youth. — Sophia Nguyen, The Atlantic, 2 Aug. 2026

The concept is already creating a new class of Gen Z entrepreneurs. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1967, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing z

• z-axis
• z-coordinate
• z distribution
• z-score
• z-test

Kids Definition

z

noun

ˈzē

British & Canadian ˈzed

plural z's or zs

often capitalized

1

: the 26th and last letter of the English alphabet

2

: a brief nap

catch some z's before dinner

Medical Definition

Z

symbol

1

atomic number

2

impedance