406 Words That Start With "Z"
406 words that start with "Z" in our 199K-word dictionary.
Browse the complete list of 406 English words starting with "Z". Each word in the grid below shows its IPA pronunciation, CEFR difficulty level (A1 beginner up to C2 mastery), and a one-line plain-English definition. Click any word to open its full dictionary entry. Use the filters to narrow by length, part of speech, or learner level.
Most Common Words That Start With "Z" (Top 1k)
No top-1k frequency words match this combination yet.
Less Common Words That Start With "Z" (Top 5k+)
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Zany /ˈzeɪni/adj C1
Silly and funny in a wild, crazy way.
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Zap /zæp/verb B2
To hit with electricity, or to move very fast.
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Zeal /ziːl/noun C1
Great enthusiasm and effort toward a goal or cause.
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Zealot /ˈzɛləт/noun B1
Someone who is extremely dedicated or passionate about a cause, belief, or activity, sometimes too much.
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Zealous /ˈzɛləs/adj B1
Very enthusiastic and dedicated about something; doing something with a lot of energy and passion.
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Zebra /ˈzɛbrə/noun A2
A wild horse from Africa with black and white stripes.
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Zeitgeist /ˈzaɪtɡaɪst/noun C2
The general feeling, mood, or spirit of a particular time period; the characteristics and values of an era.
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Zelig /ˈzɛlɪɡ/noun C2
Someone who appears in many historical photographs or events.
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Zen /zɛn/noun B2
A type of Buddhism focused on meditation and calm peace.
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Zenith /ˈzeniθ/noun C2
The highest or most successful point of something; the peak of achievement or development.
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Zephyr /ˈzɛfər/noun C2
A soft, gentle breeze or light wind.
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Zeppelin /ˈzɛpəlɪn/noun C1
A large aircraft shaped like a cigar, filled with gas and floating in air.
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Zero /ˈzɪroʊ/noun A1
The number 0; nothing or the lowest point.
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Zest /zɛst/noun B2
Great enthusiasm and energy; also the colored outer skin of lemon or orange.
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Zesty /ˈzɛsti/adj B2
Lively and energetic; also having a sharp, tangy flavor.
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Zeugma /ˈzjuːɡmə/noun C2
Single word with multiple applications
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Zigzag /ˈzɪɡzæɡ/noun B2
A pattern with sharp back-and-forth angles; to move in this pattern.
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Zilch /zɪltʃ/noun C1
Nothing; absolutely nothing at all.
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Zillion /ˈzɪljən/noun B2
A very large number, much larger than a million.
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Zinc /zɪŋk/noun B2
A metal used in batteries, coatings, and making brass.
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Zinger /ˈzɪŋɡər/noun C1
A clever, funny, or surprising remark; something that moves very fast.
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Zip /zɪp/verb A2
To move very fast; to close with a zipper.
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Zipper /ˈzɪpər/noun A2
A device used to fasten clothing or bags using interlocking teeth.
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Zit /zɪt/noun C1
A small red bump on the skin, a pimple.
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Zither /ˈzɪðər/noun C2
A musical instrument with many strings stretched across a wooden frame.
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Zodiac /ˈzoʊdiæk/noun B2
A belt of twelve constellations; the twelve astrological signs.
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Zombie /ˈzɑːmbi/noun B2
A dead body brought back to life in stories; someone acting like they're not awake.
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Zone /zoʊn/noun A2
An area or region with specific characteristics or use.
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Zoning /ˈzoʊnɪŋ/noun C1
Rules that divide a city into areas where different types of buildings are allowed. One zone may allow houses only, another allows shops, another allows factories.
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Zoo /zuː/noun A1
A place where wild animals are kept and shown to people.
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Zucchini /zuːˈkiːni/noun B1
A green vegetable like a cucumber but softer and used in cooked dishes.
375 More Words That Start With "Z" (definitions coming soon)
Words That Start With "Z" by Length
2 Letter Words That Start With "Z" (3)
See all 3 2-letter words that start with "Z" →
3 Letter Words That Start With "Z" (12)
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Zap /zæp/verb B2
To hit with electricity, or to move very fast.
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Zen /zɛn/noun B2
A type of Buddhism focused on meditation and calm peace.
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Zip /zɪp/verb A2
To move very fast; to close with a zipper.
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Zit /zɪt/noun C1
A small red bump on the skin, a pimple.
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Zoo /zuː/noun A1
A place where wild animals are kept and shown to people.
See all 12 3-letter words that start with "Z" →
4 Letter Words That Start With "Z" (41)
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Zany /ˈzeɪni/adj C1
Silly and funny in a wild, crazy way.
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Zeal /ziːl/noun C1
Great enthusiasm and effort toward a goal or cause.
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Zero /ˈzɪroʊ/noun A1
The number 0; nothing or the lowest point.
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Zest /zɛst/noun B2
Great enthusiasm and energy; also the colored outer skin of lemon or orange.
See all 41 4-letter words that start with "Z" →
5 Letter Words That Start With "Z" (46)
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Zebra /ˈzɛbrə/noun A2
A wild horse from Africa with black and white stripes.
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Zelig /ˈzɛlɪɡ/noun C2
Someone who appears in many historical photographs or events.
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Zesty /ˈzɛsti/adj B2
Lively and energetic; also having a sharp, tangy flavor.
See all 46 5-letter words that start with "Z" →
6 Letter Words That Start With "Z" (68)
See all 68 6-letter words that start with "Z" →
7 Letter Words That Start With "Z" (80)
See all 80 7-letter words that start with "Z" →
8 Letter Words That Start With "Z" (55)
See all 55 8-letter words that start with "Z" →
9 Letter Words That Start With "Z" (47)
See all 47 9-letter words that start with "Z" →
10 Letter Words That Start With "Z" (23)
See all 23 10-letter words that start with "Z" →
11 Letter Words That Start With "Z" (16)
See all 16 11-letter words that start with "Z" →
12 Letter Words That Start With "Z" (6)
See all 6 12-letter words that start with "Z" →
13 Letter Words That Start With "Z" (4)
See all 4 13-letter words that start with "Z" →
14 Letter Words That Start With "Z" (2)
See all 2 14-letter words that start with "Z" →
15 Letter Words That Start With "Z" (3)
Words That Start With "Z" by Part of Speech
Nouns That Start With "Z" (26)
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Zealot /ˈzɛləт/noun B1
Someone who is extremely dedicated or passionate about a cause, belief, or activity, sometimes too much.
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Zebra /ˈzɛbrə/noun A2
A wild horse from Africa with black and white stripes.
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Zero /ˈzɪroʊ/noun A1
The number 0; nothing or the lowest point.
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Zipper /ˈzɪpər/noun A2
A device used to fasten clothing or bags using interlocking teeth.
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Zone /zoʊn/noun A2
An area or region with specific characteristics or use.
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Zoo /zuː/noun A1
A place where wild animals are kept and shown to people.
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Zeal /ziːl/noun C1
Great enthusiasm and effort toward a goal or cause.
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Zen /zɛn/noun B2
A type of Buddhism focused on meditation and calm peace.
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Zeppelin /ˈzɛpəlɪn/noun C1
A large aircraft shaped like a cigar, filled with gas and floating in air.
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Zest /zɛst/noun B2
Great enthusiasm and energy; also the colored outer skin of lemon or orange.
-
Zigzag /ˈzɪɡzæɡ/noun B2
A pattern with sharp back-and-forth angles; to move in this pattern.
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Zilch /zɪltʃ/noun C1
Nothing; absolutely nothing at all.
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Zillion /ˈzɪljən/noun B2
A very large number, much larger than a million.
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Zinc /zɪŋk/noun B2
A metal used in batteries, coatings, and making brass.
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Zinger /ˈzɪŋɡər/noun C1
A clever, funny, or surprising remark; something that moves very fast.
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Zit /zɪt/noun C1
A small red bump on the skin, a pimple.
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Zodiac /ˈzoʊdiæk/noun B2
A belt of twelve constellations; the twelve astrological signs.
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Zombie /ˈzɑːmbi/noun B2
A dead body brought back to life in stories; someone acting like they're not awake.
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Zoning /ˈzoʊnɪŋ/noun C1
Rules that divide a city into areas where different types of buildings are allowed. One zone may allow houses only, another allows shops, another allows factories.
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Zucchini /zuːˈkiːni/noun B1
A green vegetable like a cucumber but softer and used in cooked dishes.
See all 26 nouns that start with "Z" →
Verbs That Start With "Z" (2)
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Zip /zɪp/verb A2
To move very fast; to close with a zipper.
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Zap /zæp/verb B2
To hit with electricity, or to move very fast.
See all 2 verbs that start with "Z" →
Adjectives That Start With "Z" (3)
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Zealous /ˈzɛləs/adj B1
Very enthusiastic and dedicated about something; doing something with a lot of energy and passion.
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Zany /ˈzeɪni/adj C1
Silly and funny in a wild, crazy way.
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Zesty /ˈzɛsti/adj B2
Lively and energetic; also having a sharp, tangy flavor.
See all 3 adjectives that start with "Z" →
Adverbs That Start With "Z" (0)
No adverbs entries yet — coming soon.
How to Use Words That Start With "Z"
Scrabble and Word Games
In Scrabble and Words With Friends, words starting with "Z" can be valuable when you need to play through an existing tile on the board. Higher-tier letters like J, Q, X, and Z multiply your score quickly when stacked on bonus squares — scan the list below for short words that contain them. Two and three-letter words starting with "Z" are especially useful for parallel plays where you build along an existing word and earn points for every adjacent tile.
Crossword Puzzles
For crossword puzzles, the most useful entries are mid-length common words — 5 to 8 letters — that fit standard grid patterns. Filter the list by length to match the cells in your clue. Pay attention to the CEFR level: clues from mainstream newspapers favour B1–B2 vocabulary, while themed and cryptic puzzles draw on rarer C1 and C2 words. The IPA shown on each card also helps confirm a guess — a clue marked "two syllables" should match a word with a simple stress pattern.
Creative Writing and Poetry
Writers and poets often look for groups of words starting with "Z" to build alliteration, rhythm, or near-rhymes. Sort the list by length, scan the rare and C1+ words for fresh imagery, and use the linked dictionary entries to confirm connotation before you commit. The plain-English definitions are intentionally short so you can scan dozens of options without losing flow.
Longest Word That Start With "Z"
Frequently Asked Questions About Words That Start With "Z"
- How many words starting with "Z"?
- There are 406 words starting with "Z" in our 199,000-word English dictionary. The list ranges from common everyday words to rarer specialised vocabulary.
- What is the longest word starting with "Z"?
- The longest word starting with "Z" in our list is "ZOOGEOGRAPHICAL" — 15 letters long. Tap the word to see its full definition.
- Are these words valid in Scrabble?
- Most of the words in this list are valid in Scrabble and similar word games (we cross-reference standard tournament dictionaries). A handful of proper nouns and very rare technical terms may not be — when in doubt, double-check with the official Scrabble dictionary used in your league.
- How many 5-letter words starting with "Z"?
- 46 5-letter words starting with "Z" — useful for Wordle, daily puzzles, and short crosswords. Filter by length above to see only 5-letter results.