Z

From the Etruscan letter 𐌆 (z, “ze”), from the Ancient Greek letter Ζ (Z, “zeta”), derived from the Phoenician letter 𐤆‎ (z, “zayin”), from the Egyptian hieroglyph 𓏭.

Z (lower case z)

1. The twenty-sixth and final letter of the basic modern Latin alphabet.

• (Latin script):  Aa  Bb  Cc  Dd  Ee  Ff  Gg  Hh  Ii  Jj  Kk  Ll  Mm  Nn  Oo  Pp  Qq  Rr  Sſs  Tt  Uu  Vv  Ww  Xx  Yy  Zz
• (Variations of letter Z):  Źź  Ẑẑ  Žž  Żż  Ẓẓ  Ẕẕ  Ƶƶ  Ȥȥ  Ⱬⱬ  ᵶ  ᶎ  ʐ  ʑ  ɀ  ᴢ  Ｚｚ  DZDzdz  DZDzdz  DŽDždž  DŽDždž
• ☡, a symbol for caution which resembles Z

Z

1. (metrology) zetta-
2. (physics) the impedance of an electrical circuit
3. (physics, computer graphics) the depth dimension in a 3D environment
4. (physics) atomic number
5. (biochemistry) IUPAC 1-letter abbreviation for either aspargine or aspartic acid

• Letter styles
• 
  Uppercase and lowercase versions of Z, in normal and italic type
• 
  Uppercase and lowercase Z in Fraktur

Other representations of Z:

• (UK, Canada, New Zealand, General Australian) IPA^(key): /zɛd/
• (US) IPA^(key): /zi/
• (Hong Kong) IPA^(key): /iˈzɛd/, /ɪˈzɛd/ (from izzard)

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛd, -iː

Z (upper case, lower case z, plural Zs or Z's)

1. The twenty-sixth letter of the English alphabet, called zed or zee and written in the Latin script.

• (Latin-script letters) letter; A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

Z (plural Z's or Zs)

1. A member of Generation Z.

   Alternative form: Zed

   Synonyms: Generation Z, Generation Zer, Gen Z, Gen-Zer, zoomer

   • 2017, Martha M. Ellis; Linda Garcia, Generation X Presidents Leading Community Colleges: New Challenges, New Leaders, Rowman & Littlefield, →ISBN, page 10:

     Take that a step further for Millennials and Zs by crafting an e-mail subject header that does the same but with even fewer characters; […]

   • 2020, Zerlina Maxwell, The End of White Politics: How to Heal Our Liberal Divide, New York, N.Y.: Hachette Books, →ISBN:

     The current progressive movement—and certainly the Millennials and Zs—understand that the Hyde Amendment is discriminatory […]

   • 2022, Morgen Witzel, editor, Post-Pandemic Leadership: Exploring Solutions to a Crisis, Routledge, →ISBN:

     The current global pandemic is almost certainly a formative moment for younger Millennials and Zs as they navigate through similar challenges.

2. (slang) Z-drug.
   • 2013, Snap Capone (lyrics and music), “Lights Out”, in The Memoir‎, from 0:16:

     I can sell bricks, I don't need to rap
     Buj so peng it makes the fiends collapse
     Cook that coca into crack
     I was selling Zs while you was in your bed

• (letter name): IPA^(key): /zɛt/

Z (upper case, lower case z)

1. The twenty-sixth letter of the Afrikaans alphabet, written in the Latin script.

• (Latin-script letters) letter; Aa, Bb, Cc, Dd, Ee, Ff, Gg, Hh, Ii, Jj, Kk, Ll, Mm, Nn, Oo, Pp, Qq, Rr, Ss, Tt, Uu, Vv, Ww, Xx, Yy, Zz

Z (plural Z's, diminutive Z'tjie)

1. Z

• IPA^(key): /z(ə)/

Z (lower case z)

1. The thirty-fifth letter of the Albanian alphabet, written in the Latin script.
2. The thirty-seventh letter of the Albanian alphabet, called Arbëreshë, Arvanitic, or Arvanitika and written in the Latin script. Z, z
3. The 10th letter of the Albanian alphabet, called Arvanitic or Arvanitika and written in the Greek script. Ζ, ζ

• (Latin-script letters) shkronjë; A a, B b, C c, Ç ç, D d, Dh dh, E e, Ë ë, F f, G g, Gj gj, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, Ll ll, M m, N n, Nj nj, O o, P p, Q q, R r, Rr rr, S s, Sh sh, T t, Th th, U u, V v, X x, Xh xh, Y y, Z z, Zh zh
• (Arvanitic) (Greek script letters) Α α, Β β, Ƃ ƅ, Γ γ, Γj γj, Δ δ, D d, Ε ε, Ε̱ ε̱, Ζ ζ, Ζ̇ ζ̇, Θ θ, Ι ι, J j, Κ κ, Κ̇ κ̇, Λ λ, ΛΛ λλ, Λ̇ λ̇, Μ μ, Ν ν, Ν̇ ν̇, Ο ο, Π π, Ρ ρ, Ρ̇ ρ̇, Σ σ, Σ̈ σ̈, Τ τ, Ȣ ȣ, Υ υ, Φ φ, Χ χ, Χ̇ χ̇, ΤΣ τσ, ΤΣ̈ τσ̈, DΣ dσ, DΣ̈ dσ̈

Z upper case (lower case z)

1. The thirty-second letter of the Azerbaijani alphabet, written in the Latin script.

• (Latin-script letters) hərf; A a, B b, C c, Ç ç, D d, E e, Ə ə, F f, G g, Ğ ğ, H h, X x, I ı, İ i, J j, K k, Q q, L l, M m, N n, O o, Ö ö, P p, R r, S s, Ş ş, T t, U u, Ü ü, V v, Y y, Z z

• IPA^(key): /s̻eta/, [s̻e̞.t̪a]

Z (upper case, lower case z)

1. The twenty-seventh letter of the Basque alphabet, called zeta and written in the Latin script.

• (Latin-script letters) A a, B b, C c (Ç ç), D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, Ñ ñ, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u (Ü ü), V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

• /ts/ is from West Germanic stem-initial, geminated or post-sonorant *t.
• For the origin of /z/, see S.

• (German-based) /ts/
• (Dutch-based) /z/

Z

1. A letter in the German-based alphabet of Central Franconian.
2. A letter in the Dutch-based alphabet of Central Franconian.

• /ts/ may also be represented by ts, tts, ds, dds, mostly when there is an intervening morpheme boundary.
• In the Dutch-based spelling, /ts/ is always represented by ts (or ds). In the German-based spelling, /z/ is represented by s (see there).

Derived from 直 (zhí, “straight”).

Z

1. (Mainland China) A shorthand used to refer to direct express trains.

Z

1. The twenty-sixth and last letter of the Latin alphabet.

Z

1. The twenty-sixth and last letter used in Pinyin.

• 《汉语拼音方案》 defines a standard pronunciation for each letter. However, these pronunciations are rarely used in education; another pronunciation is commonly used instead.
• The pronunciation above are only used while referring to letters in Pinyin. They are not used in other context (such as English).

• (letter name): IPA^(key): /zɛt/

• Audio

  (file)

Z (capital, lowercase z)

1. The twenty-sixth and last letter of the Dutch alphabet.

Z

1. Abbreviation of zuid; south

• Previous letter: Y

• (letter name): IPA^(key): /zo/
• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /z/

• Audio

  (file)

Z (upper case, lower case z)

1. The twenty-eighth letter of the Esperanto alphabet, called zo and written in the Latin script.

• (Latin-script letters) litero; A a, B b, C c, Ĉ ĉ, D d, E e, F f, G g, Ĝ ĝ, H h, Ĥ ĥ, I i, J j, Ĵ ĵ, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, R r, S s, Ŝ ŝ, T t, U u, Ŭ ŭ, V v, Z z

Z (upper case, lower case z)

1. The twenty-first letter of the Estonian alphabet, called tsett and written in the Latin script.

• Used only in loanwords.

• (Latin-script letters) täht; A a, B b (C c), D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p (Q q), R r, S s, Š š, Z z, Ž ž, T t, U u, V v (W w), Õ õ, Ä ä, Ö ö, Ü ü (X x, Y y)

Z (upper case, lower case z)

1. The twenty-fifth letter of the Finnish alphabet, called tseta or tset and written in the Latin script.

• Used only in loanwords. In more established loanwords replaced with ts.

• (Latin-script letters) kirjain; A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s (Š š), T t, U u, V v (W w), X x, Y y, Z z (Ž ž), Å å, Ä ä, Ö ö

• IPA^(key): /tsɛt/

• Audio

  (file)

Z (upper case, lower case z)

1. The twenty-sixth and last letter of the German alphabet.

• Doubling of z generally yields tz, but zz is retained in loanwords (chiefly from Italian).
• In German handwriting, the letter Z very often receives an additional stroke in the middle: Ƶ. A lack of this stroke may even make the letter look "incomplete" to a great deal of language users. However, the corresponding grapheme Ƶ is virtually never used in printing.

• (phoneme): IPA^(key): [ˈz]
• (letter name): IPA^(key): [ˈzeː]

Z (upper case, lower case z)

1. The thirty-ninth letter of the Hungarian alphabet, called zé and written in the Latin script.

• (Latin-script letters) betű; A a, Á á, B b, C c, Cs cs, D d, Dz dz, Dzs dzs, E e, É é, F f, G g, Gy gy, H h, I i, Í í, J j, K k, L l, Ly ly, M m, N n, Ny ny, O o, Ó ó, Ö ö, Ő ő, P p, R r, S s, Sz sz, T t, Ty ty, U u, Ú ú, Ü ü, Ű ű, V v, Z z, Zs zs. Only in the extended alphabet: Q q W w X x Y y. Commonly used: ch. Also defined: à ë. In surnames (selection): ä aa cz ds eé eö ew oe oó th ts ÿ.

• IPA^(key): /z/

Z (lower case z)

1. The twenty-sixth letter of the Ido alphabet, written in the Latin script.

• (Latin-script letters) litero; A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

• (letter name) IPA^(key): ^*/ˈd͡zɛ.ta/, ^*/ˈd͡ze.ta/[1]
  • Rhymes: -ɛta, -eta
• (phonemic realization) IPA^(key): ^*/t͡s/^*, ^*/d͡z/^*
  • Z is spelt single stem-initially and after consonants. The pronunciation is not predictable and may be /t͡s/ or /d͡z/, though after -l- and -r- it is mostly /t͡s/. It is also spelt single post-vocalically before [j], where the pronunciation is mostly /tt͡s/.
  • Between true vowels it is usually doubled as zz. The pronunciation, again, is not predictable and may be /tt͡s/ or /dd͡z/. Chiefly in learned words it may be spelt single, in which case it is predominantly /dd͡z/.

Z f or m (invariable, upper case, lower case z)

1. The twenty-first letter of the Italian alphabet, called zeta and written in the Latin script.

Z

1. the letter zeta in the Greek alphabet

• (Latin-script letters) lettera; A a (À à), B b, C c, D d, E e (É é, È è), F f, G g, H h, I i (Í í, Ì ì, Πî, J j, K k), L l, M m, N n, O o (Ó ó, Ò ò), P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u (Ú ú, Ù ù), V v (W w, X x, Y y), Z z
• Italian alphabet on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

The letter descended from the Old Italic letter 𐌆 (z) in the Old Latin period, but had long fell into native disuse by the Classical period, when it came back into use, transcribing the Ancient Greek letter Ζ (Z, “zeta”), which had formerly been transcribed S in initial position and SS in medial position. In writings of the Late Latin period, Z frequently takes the place of S and in the third and fourth centuries often represented word-initial prevocalic di.

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /z/, [z̪]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /d͡z/, [d̪͡z̪]

Z (upper case, lower case z)

1. The twenty-third letter of the Classical Latin alphabet, called zēta.

• “Z, z”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Z in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette, page 1,700/1
• “Z, z” on page 2,125/1 of the Oxford Latin Dictionary (1st ed., 1968–82)

Proposed in 1908 as part of the new Latvian spelling by the scientific commission headed by K. Mīlenbahs, which was accepted and began to be taught in schools in 1909. Prior to that, Latvian had been written in German Fraktur, and sporadically in Cyrillic.

• IPA^(key): [z]

Z

Z (upper case, lower case z)

1. The thirty-second letter of the Latvian alphabet, called zē and written in the Latin script.

• Letters of the Latvian alphabet:

  burti: Aa, Āā, Bb, Cc, Čč, Dd, Ee, Ēē, Ff, Gg, Ģģ, Hh, Ii, Īī, Jj, Kk, Ķķ, Ll, Ļļ, Mm, Nn, Ņņ, Oo, Pp, Rr, Ss, Šš, Tt, Uu, Ūū, Vv, Zz, Žž

• (Name of letter) IPA^(key): [zɛt̚], [zɛk̚], [zi]
• (Phoneme, Syllable initial) IPA^(key): [z]
• (Phoneme, Syllable final) IPA^(key): [s]

Z (upper case, lower case z)

1. The twenty-sixth letter of the Malay alphabet, written in the Latin script.

• (Latin-script letters) A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /z/

Z (upper case, lower case z)

1. The twenty-ninth letter of the Nupe alphabet, written in the Latin script.

• (Latin-script letters) banki; A a (Á á, À à), B b, C c, D d, Dz dz, E e (É é, È è), F f, G g, Gb gb, H h, I i (Í í, Ì ì), J j, K k, Kp kp, L l, M m (Ḿ ḿ, M̀ m̀, M̄ m̄), N n (Ń ń, Ǹ ǹ, N̄ n̄), O o (Ó ó, Ò ò), P p, R r, S s, Sh sh, T t, Ts ts, U u (Ú ú, Ù ù), V v, W w, Y y, Z z, Zh zh

• IPA^(key): /zɛt/

Z (upper case, lower case z)

1. The thirtieth letter of the Polish alphabet, called zet and written in the Latin script.

• (Latin-script letters) A a, Ą ą, B b, C c, Ć ć, D d, E e, Ę ę, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, Ł ł, M m, N n, Ń ń, O o, Ó ó, P p (Q q), R r, S s, Ś ś, T t, U u (V v), W w (X x), Y y, Z z, Ź ź, Ż ż

• Z in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• Z in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Z (upper case, lower case z)

1. The twenty-sixth letter of the Portuguese alphabet, written in the Latin script.

• (Latin-script letters) letra; A a (Á á, À à,  â, àã), B b, C c (Ç ç), D d, E e (É é, Ê ê), F f, G g, H h, I i (Í í), J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o (Ó ó, Ô ô, Õ õ), P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u (Ú ú), V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

• IPA^(key): /z/

Z (upper case, lower case z)

1. (International Standard) The thirtieth letter of the Romani alphabet, written in the Latin script.
2. (Pan-Vlax) The thirty-first letter of the Romani alphabet, written in the Latin script.

• (Latin-script letters) A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, X x, I i, J j, K k, Kh kh, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Ph ph, R r, S s, T t, Th th, U u, V v, Z z International Standard: (À à, Ä ä, Ǎ ǎ), Ć ć, Ćh ćh, (È è, Ë ë, Ě ě), (Ì ì, Ï ï, Ǐ ǐ), (Ò ò, Ö ö, Ǒ ǒ), Rr rr, Ś ś, (Ù ù, Ü ü, Ǔ ǔ), Ź ź, Ʒ ʒ, Q q, Ç ç, ϴ θ. Pan-Vlax: Č č, Čh čh, Dž dž, (Dź dź), Ř ř, Š š, (Ś ś), Ž ž, (Ź ź).

• IPA^(key): /z/

Z (upper case, lower case z)

1. The thirty-first letter of the Romanian alphabet, called ze, zet, zed, or zî and written in the Latin script.

• (Latin-script letters) A a, Ă ă,  â, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, Πî, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, Ș ș, T t, Ț ț, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

Derived from запад (zapad, “west”). The Z sign was initially used for vehicles targeted towards southeastern Ukraine, in a manner similar to invasion stripes used by the Allies in World War II. Later popularised by the Russian government on social media as a rallying symbol.

• IPA^(key): [zɛt]

Z (lower case z)

1. the Roman letter Z, z

   Synonym: зет (zɛt)

2. (The addition of quotations indicative of this usage is being sought:) (politics) a dogwhistle for supporting the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

   Synonyms: (derogatory) полусва́стика (polusvástika), (derogatory) но́вая сва́стика (nóvaja svástika), (derogatory) зва́стика (zvástika)

   • #ZаМир, #ZаПобеду (hashtags using Z by Russian nationalists in support for war against Ukraine)

     #ZaMir, #ZaPobedu

     "for peace", "for victory"

   • ZOV (a symbol combining V and O, more symbols used on Russian tanks, used by the Russian government and some online users in support for war against Ukraine)

     ZOV (may also be interpreted as зов, or "call forth [to war]")

   • Zалупа, роZZия, zвери, Zло, Zомби (derisive online slang terms mocking Russian nationalists)

     Zalupa, roZZija, zveri, Zlo, Zombi

     "dickhead", "RuZZia", "beaZts", "evil", "Zombie"

Russian nationalists replace instances of the Cyrillic letter З (Z) with Z in some words and usernames, and their opponents also use Latin Z's in Russian words to mock them.

• зиговать (zigovatʹ, “to use a Nazi salute”), zиговать (zigovatʹ, “to support the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine”)
• zомби (zombi, “a zombie, a fanatical Russian nationalist who supports the invasion of Ukraine”)
• РоZZия (RoZZija, “RuZZia, Russia as the aggressor during the invasion of Ukraine”)

• ⇒ English: zwastika (internet slang, usage of Z by Russian nationalists)
• ⇒ English: Ruzzia (internet slang, Russia being militarised during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine)
• ⇒ Ukrainian: Z (a symbol used by Ukrainians to mock Russia)

• V (“V, another letter used as a pro-war symbol”)
• Еле́нский (Jelénskij, “Elensky, slang term mocking President Zelensky for the ban of the Z letter”)
• З (Z), з (z)
• свои́х не броса́ем (svoíx ne brosájem, “we do not leave our own, pro-war slogan”)
• спецопера́ция (specoperácija, “special operation, official Russian government term for the invasion of Ukraine”)
• денацифици́ровать (denacificírovatʹ, “denazify, another Russian government term used for the same invasion”)

• BBC news article about Latin Z being used as a pro-invasion symbol
• NPR news article about Z as a pro-invasion symbol
• Z combined with O and V

Z

1. The thirty-eighth letter of the Saanich alphabet, written in the Latin script.

• (Latin-script letters) A, Á, Ⱥ, B, C, Ć, Ȼ, D, E, H, I, Í, J, K, Ꝁ, Ꝃ, ₭, Ḵ, Ḱ, L, Ƚ, M, N, Ṉ, O, P, Q, S, Ś, T, Ⱦ, Ṯ, Ŧ, U, W, W̲, X, X̲, Y, Z, s, ,

• (phoneme) IPA^(key): /z/

Z (lower case z)

1. The thirty-third letter of the Skolt Sami alphabet, written in the Latin script.

• (Latin-script letters) bukva; A a,  â, B b, C c, Č č, Ʒ ʒ, Ǯ ǯ, D d, Đ đ, E e, F f, G g, Ǧ ǧ, Ǥ ǥ, H h, I i, J j, K k, Ǩ ǩ, L l, M m, N n, Ŋ ŋ, O o, Õ õ, P p, R r, S s, Š š, T t, U u, V v, Z z, Ž ž, Å å, Ä ä, ʹ

Z (capital, lowercase z)

1. The 24th letter of the Slovene alphabet. Preceded by V and followed by Ž.

Z (upper case, lower case z)

1. the 27th letter of the Spanish alphabet

Z (upper case, lower case z)

1. The twenty-ninth letter of the Turkish alphabet, called ze and written in the Latin script.

• (Latin-script letters) harf; A a, B b, C c, Ç ç, D d, E e, F f, G g, Ğ ğ, H h, I ı, İ i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, Ö ö, P p, R r, S s, Ş ş, T t, U u, Ü ü, V v, Y y, Z z

Originated from Russian usage of the letter Z as a military symbol, as well as a symbol of support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine (see Z#Etymology_5).

• IPA^(key): [zɛt]

Z (lower case z)

1. the Roman letter Z, z

   Synonym: зет (zet)

2. (The addition of quotations indicative of this usage is being sought:) (politics) a dogwhistle for supporting the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
   • РоZZія (derisive online slang term mocking Russian nationalists)

     RoZZija

     "RuZZia"

Often used by Ukrainian Internet users and politicians to mock or insult Russians, especially for the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

• Z#Russian

Z (upper case, lower case z)

1. The twenty-sixth letter of the Zulu alphabet, written in the Latin script.

• (Latin-script letters) A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z