English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

za

noun

Slang for pizza.

Zaara

noun

A variant spelling of Sahara, also used as a given name.

Zac

noun

A short, informal form of the male names Zachary or Zachariah.

Zach

noun

A short, informal form of the male names Zachary or Zachariah, also used as a surname.

Zachary

noun

A male given name from Hebrew, the standard English form of Zacharias, Zachariah, and Zechariah.

Zack

noun

A short, informal form of the male names Zachary or Zachariah.

Zackary

noun

A less common variant spelling of the male given name Zachary.

Zafar

name

A surname and given name of Arabic or Persian origin, meaning "victory."

zag

noun

A sharp turn in the opposite direction, especially as the second half of "zigzag."

Zagreb

name

The capital and largest city of Croatia.

Zahra

name

A feminine given name and surname of Arabic origin, meaning "flower" or "radiant," an epithet of Fatima.

Zaire

name

The former name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, used from 1971 to 1997.

zak

noun

Slang for money, especially a small sum such as sixpence.

Zaki

name

A surname of Arabic origin, from an adjective meaning "chaste" or "pure."

zale

noun

Any moth belonging to the genus Zale, a group of night-flying moths in the family Erebidae.

Zamani

name

A surname of Persian origin.

Zambia

name

A landlocked country in Southern Africa, formerly known as Northern Rhodesia.

Zamboni

noun

A machine that resurfaces ice rinks by shaving, cleaning, and re-flooding the surface with a thin layer of water.

Zambrano

name

A surname of Spanish origin with Basque roots, common in Ecuador.

Zamora

name

A city and province in Castile and León, Spain, also a surname derived from the place name.

Zan

name

A diminutive of the feminine given names Susan or Suzanne.

zander

noun

A large freshwater fish related to the perch, native to European rivers and lakes and prized by anglers.

Zandra

name

A feminine given name, a variant of Sandra.

Zane

name

A male given name transferred from a surname, popularized by the American writer Zane Grey.

zany

adj

Wildly comic, eccentric, or amusingly outlandish in behavior or style.

Zanzibar

name

An island region of Tanzania in the Indian Ocean, formerly an independent sultanate.

zap

verb

To hit or destroy something suddenly with a burst of energy, electricity, or force (often used loosely, including in games or fiction).

Zapata

name

A surname of Spanish origin, most notably borne by the Mexican revolutionary leader Emiliano Zapata.

zapatera

noun

An olive that has spoiled or gone past its prime during curing, often bruised or damaged.

Zappa

name

A surname of Italian origin, most notably borne by the musician Frank Zappa.

zapping

noun

The act of hitting, destroying, or heating something quickly, as by an electric shock or a microwave.

Zara

name

A feminine given name, a modern variant of Sarah also linked to Arabic zahra ("flower").

Zarina

name

A feminine given name of Tatar and Persian origin, related to a word meaning "gold."

Zaza

noun

A member of an Iranian-origin ethnic minority living in eastern Turkey, or their language.

ze

pronoun

A gender-neutral third-person singular pronoun, used as an alternative to "he," "she," or singular "they."

zeal

noun

Strong, energetic enthusiasm for a cause, goal, or belief.

Zealand

name

The largest island of Denmark, home to Copenhagen.

zealot

noun

Someone so committed to a cause or belief that they pursue it with extreme, often unreasonable intensity.

zealous

adj

Filled with energetic enthusiasm or eagerness, especially for a cause or duty.

Zeb

name

A short form of male given names such as Zebadiah, Zebedee, Zebulon, or Zebulun.

zebra

noun

A wild African horse-like animal with black-and-white stripes.

zed

noun

The British and Commonwealth name for the letter Z.

Zedd

name

A surname, also known as the stage name of the German-Russian DJ and record producer Zedd.

zee

noun

The American English name for the letter Z.

Zeek

name

A surname, an Americanized spelling of the German surname Seek or Sick.

Zeeland

name

A coastal province of the Netherlands, also the name of towns in Michigan and North Dakota.

Zeke

name

A nickname for the given name Ezekiel.

Zelda

name

A feminine given name of Germanic origin, shortened from Griselda.

Zen

noun

A school of Buddhism, strongest in China and Japan, that emphasises sudden insight reached through meditation rather than through study of scripture.

Zeng

name

A Chinese surname, from Mandarin Zēng (曾).

zenith

noun

The point in the sky directly overhead an observer.

Zeno

adjective

Describing a process broken into an endless series of smaller and smaller steps within a fixed span of time or space.

Zenon

name

A surname and male given name, a variant of Zeno derived from Ancient Greek.

zephyr

noun

A gentle, mild breeze.

Zeppelin

noun

A large, cigar-shaped rigid airship, especially the type built in Germany in the early 20th century.

zero

num

The number 0; the quantity representing none at all.

zeroes

noun

Informal name for a decade running from a year ending in 0 to one ending in 9, most often the 2000s.

zeros

noun

Informal name for a decade running from a year ending in 0 to one ending in 9, most often the 2000s.

zest

noun

The outer, colourful peel of a citrus fruit, grated or peeled off for its flavour.

zeta

noun

A letter of the Greek alphabet (Ζ, ζ), corresponding roughly to the English "z".

Zeus

noun

In Greek mythology, the king of the gods, ruler of the sky and thunder.

Zev

name

A male given name of Hebrew origin, meaning "wolf."

Zeynep

name

A feminine given name of Turkish origin.

Zhan

name

A Chinese surname, from Mandarin Zhān (詹).

zhang

noun

A traditional Chinese unit of length, equal to ten Chinese feet.

Zhao

name

A Chinese surname and ancient kingdom name, from Mandarin Zhào (趙/赵).

Zhen

name

A Chinese surname, from Mandarin Zhēn (甄).

zheng

noun

A long Chinese plucked string instrument, also called the guzheng, played flat on a stand.

Zhenya

name

A unisex Russian and Ukrainian given name, a diminutive of Yevgeny or Yevgenia.

Zhivago

name

A surname and male given name, made famous by the title character of Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago.

Zhong

name

A Chinese surname and place name, from Mandarin Zhōng (忠).

zhou

noun

A thick rice porridge, also called congee, eaten across China and other parts of Asia, often for breakfast.

zhu

noun

An ancient Chinese unit of weight, historically used for small coins, roughly equal to the weight of about a hundred millet seeds.

Zhukov

name

A Russian surname, most notably that of Soviet Marshal Georgy Zhukov, a celebrated World War II commander.

Zia

noun

A Native American people of a pueblo in New Mexico, known for their pottery and their sun symbol.

Ziegler

name

A surname of German origin, an occupational name for a brickmaker or tiler.

zig

noun

A sharp turn in one direction, especially as part of a back-and-forth zigzag movement.

ziggy

adj

Moving in a zigzag pattern.

zigzag

noun

A line or path that goes sharply from side to side in alternating directions.

zilch

noun

Nothing at all; zero.

zillion

noun

An extremely large, unspecified number.

Zim

name

An unincorporated community in Minnesota, named after a local lumber worker surnamed Zimmerman.

Zimbabwe

noun

A landlocked country in Southern Africa, formerly known as Rhodesia.

Zimmer

name

A surname of German origin, meaning "room," originally an occupational name for a carpenter.

Zimmerman

name

A surname of German origin, meaning "carpenter" or "one who builds rooms."

zin

noun

Short for Zinfandel, a variety of red wine.

Zina

noun

In Islamic law, sex outside of marriage, covering both adultery and premarital sex.

zinc

noun

A bluish-white metallic chemical element (symbol Zn, atomic number 30) that is somewhat brittle at room temperature and dulls slightly when exposed to damp air.

zing

noun

Lively energy, enthusiasm, or excitement.

zinger

noun

A sharp, witty remark, especially one meant as an insult or comeback.

Zion

noun

A name for Jerusalem, or for the land of Israel, especially as a spiritual homeland or promised place.

Zionist

noun

A supporter of the movement to establish and support a Jewish state in the historic land of Israel.

zip

noun

A fastener made of two rows of interlocking teeth pulled together by a sliding tab; also called a zipper.

zipped

adj

Closed or fastened using a zip.

zipper

noun

A fastener made of two rows of interlocking teeth joined and separated by a sliding tab; the same thing as a zip.

zippo

noun

Nothing at all; used for emphasis when someone might have expected something.

zippy

adj

Full of energy and enthusiasm; lively.

Zips

name

A historical region in northeastern Slovakia, formerly a province spanning parts of Hungary and Poland.

zit

noun

A pimple, especially one on the face.

Zito

name

A surname of Italian origin.

zloty

noun

Poland's currency unit, made up of 100 smaller units called groszy.

Zo

noun

An indigenous people living in parts of Myanmar and north-east India.

zod

noun

Slang for someone considered a loser or generally uncool.

zodiac

noun

The band of sky that follows the sun's yearly path, traditionally divided into twelve constellations or "signs."

Zoe

noun

Bare biological existence, as distinct from a person's particular way of life or social identity.

Zoey

name

A feminine given name, a phonetic spelling of Zoe, from Ancient Greek meaning "life."

Zohar

name

A foundational work of Jewish mysticism, traditionally attributed to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai; also used as a given name meaning "splendor" or "radiance" in Hebrew.

zoinks

interjection

Used to express sudden surprise, alarm, or fright.

Zola

name

A surname of Italian origin, most notably borne by the French writer Émile Zola; also used as a feminine given name.

Zoloft

name

A brand name for the antidepressant medication sertraline.

Zoltan

name

A Hungarian male given name derived from a word related to "sultan."

zombie

noun

In folklore and fiction, a reanimated corpse controlled by magic or driven by a mindless urge to attack the living.

zone

noun

An area or region marked off by a particular feature, purpose, or restriction.

zoned

adj

Designated as part of a particular zone under planning or land-use rules.

zoning

noun

Local laws that control how land and buildings in a given area may be used.

Zooey

adjective

Resembling a zoo, or crowded and chaotic like one.

zookeeper

noun

Someone whose job is to look after and care for animals in a zoo.

zoological

adj

Relating to animals or to the scientific study of animals.

zoologist

noun

A scientist who studies animals and animal life.

zoology

noun

The branch of biology concerned with animals — their structure, behaviour, evolution, and classification.

zoom

verb

To move very quickly, often with a humming or rushing sound.

zooming

noun

The sound, or the act, of moving very fast.

zoot

noun

A boldly cut, oversized suit with wide, padded shoulders and high-waisted, tapered trousers, popular from the 1930s to 1950s.

Zorba

noun

A grade of scrap metal made mostly of shredded aluminum, left over after steel and iron are removed from crushed cars.

Zorn

name

A surname of German origin, meaning "anger" or "wrath."

zorro

noun

A South American fox-like wild dog, more closely related to wolves than true foxes.

Zosia

name

A Polish feminine given name, a diminutive of Zofia (Sophia).

Zou

noun

An indigenous people living along the border between India and Myanmar.

Zu

name

A lesser deity in Akkadian mythology, depicted as a monstrous bird.

zucchini

noun

A long green summer squash with edible flesh and skin, known as a courgette in British English.

Zucker

name

A surname of German origin, meaning "sugar," originally an occupational name for a sugar merchant.

Zuckerberg

noun

A surname of German Jewish (Ashkenazic) origin, most famously borne by Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Zulu

noun

A member of the Zulu people, a Bantu ethnic group centred in the KwaZulu-Natal region of South Africa.

Zuma

name

A surname, most notably that of South African politician Jacob Zuma.

Zumba

noun

A branded fitness workout that mixes Latin American dance moves with aerobic exercise, usually done in a group class to upbeat music.

Zuri

noun

A unisex given name, popular in African and African American communities, meaning "good" or "beautiful" in Swahili.

Zurich

noun

Switzerland's largest city, a major banking and financial centre, sitting at the northern tip of Lake Zurich.

Zweig

name

A surname of German or Yiddish origin, meaning "branch" or "twig," most notably borne by the Austrian writer Stefan Zweig.