z

See also: Appendix:Variations of "z"

z	U+007A, z LATIN SMALL LETTER Z

← y
[U+0079]

Basic Latin

{ →
[U+007B]

ｚ	U+FF5A, ｚ FULLWIDTH LATIN SMALL LETTER Z

← ｙ
[U+FF59]

Halfwidth and Fullwidth Forms

｛ →
[U+FF5B]

𝆎	U+1D18E, 𝆎 MUSICAL SYMBOL Z

← 𝆍
[U+1D18D]

Musical Symbols

𝆏 →
[U+1D18F]

Translingual

Pronunciation

IPA (file)

Letter

z (upper case Z)

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

Symbol

z

(metrology) Symbol for the prefix zepto-.
(astronomy) Symbol for the redshift.
(mathematics) Used to denote a real variable when x and y are already in use.
${\\displaystyle f\\left(x,y,z\\right)=\\sin x+\\cos y+\\tan z}$
(mathematics) Used to denote the third coordinate in three-dimensional Cartesian and cylindrical coordinate systems.
${\\displaystyle x^{2}+y^{2}+z^{2}=1}$
(mathematics) Used to denote a complex variable.
${\\displaystyle \\left\\Vert z\\right\\Vert =z\\cdot {\\bar {z}}}$
(statistics) Used to denote a value of a standard normal random variable.
${\\displaystyle P[Z>z]=1-P[Z<z]=1-\\Phi (z)}$
(chemistry) Symbol for atomic number.
(IPA) voiced alveolar fricative

Derived terms

Prefix zepto-

zA
zcd
zK
zkg
zm
zmol
zs

zBq
zC
zF
zGy
zH
zHz
zJ
zkat
zlm
zlx
zN
zΩ
zPa
zrad
zS
zSv
zsr
zT
zV
zW
zWb

Gallery

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

English

Pronunciation

Letter name

(UK) IPA^(key): /zɛd/
Audio (UK) (file)
(US) IPA^(key): /ziː/
Audio (US, California) (file)
(Hong Kong) IPA^(key): /ˈɪzə(r)d/, /ɪˈzə(r)d/
(India) IPA^(key): /ɪˈzɛd/, /ɪˈzɛɖ/
Rhymes: -ɛd, -iː

Phoneme

IPA^(key): /z/

Letter

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

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

Etymology 2

Abbreviations.

z

(stenoscript) the sound /z/, regardless of spelling.
Note: plural /s/, /z/ or /əz/ in nouns is instead indicated by an optional dot under last letter; 3sg /s/, /z/ or /əz/ in verbs is not written at all, except for hz 'has', sz 'says', dz 'does'
(stenoscript) the sound /ʃ/, /ʒ/, or the sequence /ziː/.
(stenoscript) Abbreviation of as, was, his, she.

Alemannic German

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /t͡s/

Article

z n

Synonym of s: the
Gfallt der z Huus? ― Do you like the house?

Preposition

z

unstressed form of of zue
Mir wonen z Züri. ― We live in Zurich.

Preposition

z

unstressed form of of zu
Das isch z vill. ― This is too much.

Azerbaijani

Pronunciation

(phoneme) IPA^(key): /z/

Letter

z lower case (upper case Z)

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

Basque

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /s̻eta/, [s̻e̞.t̪a]

Letter

z (lower case, upper case Z)

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

Cimbrian

Alternative forms

's (Sette Comuni)

Article

z

(Luserna) the; definite article for two declensions:
1. nominative singular neuter
2. accusative singular neuter

References

Patuzzi, Umberto, ed., (2013) Luserna / Lusérn: Le nostre parole / Ünsarne börtar / Unsere Wörter [Our Words], Luserna, Italy: Comitato unitario delle isole linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien

Czech

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *jьz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eǵʰs.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /z/
Audio (file)

Preposition

z

from
Toto víno pochází z Francie. ― This wine comes from France.
out of
Pět z deseti doktorů doporučuje tuto zubní pastu. ― Five out of ten doctors recommend this toothpaste.

Usage notes

This preposition is followed by the genitive case.

Synonyms

ze

Dutch

Pronunciation

Audio (file)
Rhymes: -ɛt
(letter name): IPA^(key): /zɛt/

Letter

z (lower case, upper case Z)

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

Egyptian

Pronunciation 1

(modern Egyptological) IPA^(key): /zɛ/, /zɑ/
- Conventional anglicization: ze, za

Noun

m

A door bolt of wood or copper [since the Pyramid Texts]

Inflection

Declension of z (masculine)

singular	z
dual	zwj
plural	zw

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of z

[Old Kingdom]

[New Kingdom]

[Late Period]

Pronunciation 2

(reconstructed) IPA^(key): /zuʀ/ → /suʀ/ → /suʔ/ → /søʔ/

Noun

m

man (male person) [since the Old Kingdom]
someone, anyone

Usage notes

This word can be placed after a type of person and before a number to indicate that many prisoners of that type were taken.

Inflection

Declension of z (masculine)

singular	z
dual	zwj
plural	zw

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of z

z

s

sj

sꜣ

[Old Kingdom]

[since the Middle Kingdom]

[since the 19th Dynasty]

[Late Period]

[Greco-Roman Period]

Derived terms

z-n-wsrt

Descendants

Coptic: ⲥⲁ- (sa-)

Noun

m

being, creature (used of a snake) [Pyramid Texts]

Inflection

Declension of z (masculine)

singular	z
dual	zwj
plural	zw

Noun

m

A type of fish [22nd dynasty]

Inflection

Declension of z (masculine)

singular	z
dual	zwj
plural	zw

References

Erman, Adolf; Grapow, Hermann (1926–1961) Wörterbuch der ägyptischen Sprache, Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, →ISBN

Esperanto

Pronunciation

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

Letter

z (lower case, upper case Z)

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

Estonian

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈtsetː/

Letter

z (lower case, upper case Z)

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

Usage notes

Used only in loanwords.

Finnish

Pronunciation

Audio (file)

Letter

z (lower case, upper case Z)

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

Usage notes

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

French

Pronunciation

(letter name) IPA^(key): /zɛd/

Letter

z (lower case, upper case Z)

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

Gothic

Romanization

z

Romanization of 𐌶

Hungarian

Pronunciation

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

Letter

z (lower case, upper case Z)

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

Declension

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, front unrounded harmony)
	singular	plural
nominative	z	z-k
accusative	z-t	z-ket
dative	z-nek	z-knek
instrumental	z-vel	z-kkel
causal-final	z-ért	z-kért
translative	z-vé	z-kké
terminative	z-ig	z-kig
essive-formal	z-ként	z-kként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	z-ben	z-kben
superessive	z-n	z-ken
adessive	z-nél	z-knél
illative	z-be	z-kbe
sublative	z-re	z-kre
allative	z-hez	z-khez
elative	z-ből	z-kből
delative	z-ről	z-kről
ablative	z-től	z-ktől
non-attributive possessive - singular	z-é	z-ké
non-attributive possessive - plural	z-éi	z-kéi

Possessive forms of z
possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	z-m	z-im
2nd person sing.	z-d	z-id
3rd person sing.	z-je	z-i
1st person plural	z-nk	z-ink
2nd person plural	z-tek	z-itek
3rd person plural	z-jük	z-ik

Ido

Pronunciation

(context pronunciation) IPA^(key): /z/
(letter name) IPA^(key): /ze/

Letter

z (upper case Z)

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

Indonesian

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /z/ (usually unless before a voiced consonant)
IPA^(key): /s/ (sometimes before a voiced consonant e.g. Mazmur)

Letter

z (lower case, upper case Z)

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

Usage notes

Used only in loanwords from Arabic, English, etc.

Italian

Letter

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

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

Latin

Etymology

The minuscule form derives from the majuscule Z.

Letter

z (lower case, upper case Z)

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

References

z in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
“z”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers

Latvian

Etymology

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.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [z]

Letter

Z

z (lower case, upper case Z)

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

Livonian

Pronunciation

(phoneme) IPA^(key): /z/

Letter

z (upper case Z)

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

Lower Sorbian

Alternative forms

ze (used before sibilants and certain consonant clusters)

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /z/, (before a voiceless consonant) /s/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Slavic *jьz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eǵʰs.

Preposition

z (with genitive)

from, out of

Etymology 2

From Proto-Slavic *sъ(n), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱom.

Preposition

z (with instrumental)

with
Stej bratš ze sotšu. ― They are brother and sister (lit. ‘brother with sister’).

Malay

Letter

z (lower case, upper case Z)

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

Maltese

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /t͡s/, /d͡z/
Simple z is almost always /t͡s/. Geminated zz is also predominantly voiceless, but intervocalically it may represent /dd͡z/, notably in the verbal suffix -izza.

Letter

z (upper case Z)

The thirtieth letter of the Maltese alphabet, written in the Latin script.

Norwegian

Pronunciation

(letter name): IPA^(key): /set/, /sɛt/
(phoneme): IPA^(key): /s/, /ʃ/
Audio (file)

Letter

z

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

Usage notes

Not used in Norwegian, only appears in loanwords from e.g. Slavic.
Used interchangeably with s in Internet slang and informal writing.

Nupe

Pronunciation

(phoneme): IPA^(key): /z/

Letter

z (lower case, upper case Z)

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

Polish

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /z/
(letter name) IPA^(key): /zɛt/

Letter

z (upper case Z, lower case)

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

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *jьz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eǵʰs.

Alternative forms

ze
s (obsolete) [19th c.]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /z/, /s/
Audio (file)

Preposition

z (+ genitive)

from
Jestem z Polski. ― I'm from Poland.
out of
jeden z dziesięciu ― one out of ten
made of
motyka z drewna ― a hoe made of wood
at
Jesteś z przodu czy z tyłu? ― Are you at the front or at the back?
Podróżuje z prędkością światła! ― It's travelling at the speed of light?

Etymology 3

Inherited from Old Polish s, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *śun, from Proto-Slavic *sъ(n), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱom.

Alternative forms

ze
s (obsolete) [19th c.]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /z/, /s/
Audio (file)

Preposition

z (+ instrumental)

with
Antonym: bez

Alternative forms

ze
s (obsolete) [19th c.]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /z/, /s/
Audio (file)

Particle

z

(colloquial) approximately, about
Synonyms: mniej więcej, około

Usage notes

The preposition or particle generally changes to ze when the pronunciation of the two consecutive words becomes problematic. Some dictionaries claim that this rule applies to words starting with one of the following consonants: s, z, ś, ź, ż, rz, sz that are followed by another consonant. [1] Examples include:
Ten pręt jest z żelaza. ― This rod is made of iron.
Ten pręt jest ze stali. ― This rod is made of steel.
Pochodzę z Francji. ― I come from France.
Pochodzę ze Szwecji. ― I come from Sweden.

The form ze is used also before mnie, mną, and forms of wszystko.

Both z and ze can be used before sobą.

References

Wielki słownik poprawnej polszczyzny. Keyword "z".

Portuguese

Pronunciation

(phoneme) IPA^(key): /z/
(letter name) IPA^(key): /ze/

Letter

z (lower case, upper case Z)

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

Romani

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /z/

Letter

z (lower case, upper case Z)

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

Romanian

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /z/

Letter

z (lower case, upper case Z)

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

Sani

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /z̊³³/

Noun

z (transliteration needed)

water

References

Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area, volumes 26-27 (2003, Department of Linguistics, University of California), page 74
Huang Bufan (editor), Xu Shouchun, Chen Jiaying, Wan Huiyin, A Tibeto-Burman Lexicon (1992; Central Minorities University, Beijing) (has z̊³³)

Serbo-Croatian

Alternative forms

(uppercase) Z

Pronunciation

(phoneme) IPA^(key): /z/

Preposition

z (Cyrillic spelling з)

(Kajkavian, Chakavian, Croatia)(+ instrumental case) with
- 1501, Marko Marulić, Judita
  požgat su pritili sela naša stane,
  žene z dicom htili vest u svoje strane,
  inim dati rane, svih smrtno sikući;
- 1622, Ivan Gundulić, Suze sina razmetnoga
  od svjetlosti zrak otvori,
  i ostaše razlučene,
  z bielim danom noćne sjene:
- 1927, Dragutin Domjanić, Kaj
  I srce mi greje
  I z menom se smeje
  I v žalosti plače takaj.
(Kajkavian)(+ genitive case) from, out of
- 1927, Dragutin Domjanić, Kaj vrt si senja
  Oblaček po nebu
  Si stiha putuje,
  A z trave još samo
  Šćurica se čuje.

Synonyms

iz, s, sa, š

Letter

z (Cyrillic spelling з)

The 29th letter of the Serbo-Croatian Latin alphabet (gajica), preceded by v and followed by ž.

Skolt Sami

Pronunciation

(phoneme) IPA^(key): /z/

Letter

z (upper case Z)

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

Slovak

Alternative forms

zo (see usage notes)

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /z/

Preposition

z

from

Usage notes

The zo form is used when the following word starts with the letter z, ž, s, š and certain consonant clusters.

Slovene

Etymology 1

See Translingual section.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /s/

Letter

z

The twenty-fourth letter of the Slovene alphabet, written in the Latin script. Preceded by v and followed by ž.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Slavic *sъ(n), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱom.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /s/

Preposition

z

(with instrumental) with, by means of, using
(with instrumental) (together) with, in the company of
This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Alternative forms

s (before a voiceless consonant)

Spanish

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): (phoneme) /s/, /θ/
IPA^(key): (letter name, Spain) /ˈθeta/ [ˈθe.t̪a]
IPA^(key): (letter name, Latin America) /ˈseta/ [ˈse.t̪a]
- (Castilian)
  Audio (file)
- Rhymes: -eta

Letter

z (lower case, upper case Z)

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

Swedish

Pronunciation

Letter name

IPA^(key): /ˈsɛːta/

Phoneme

IPA^(key): /s/
- Homophones: c (before front vowels), s

Letter

z (lower case, upper case Z)

The twenty-sixth letter of the Swedish alphabet, called säta or zäta and written in the Latin script.

Turkish

Letter

z (lower case, upper case Z)

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

Turkmen

Pronunciation

(phoneme) IPA^(key): /ð/, /z/

Letter

z (upper case Z)

The thirtieth letter of the Turkmen alphabet, called ze and written in the Latin script.

Zulu

Letter

z (lower case, upper case Z)

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

z

Translingual

Pronunciation

Letter

See also

Symbol

Derived terms

Gallery

See also

English

Pronunciation

Letter

See also

Etymology 2

Alemannic German

Pronunciation

Article

Preposition

Preposition

Azerbaijani

Pronunciation

Letter

See also

Basque

Pronunciation

Letter

See also

Cimbrian

Alternative forms

Article

See also

References

Czech

Etymology

Pronunciation

Preposition

Usage notes

Synonyms

Further reading

Dutch

Pronunciation

Letter

See also

Egyptian

Pronunciation 1

Noun

Inflection

Alternative forms

Pronunciation 2

Noun

Usage notes

Inflection

Alternative forms

Derived terms

Descendants

Noun

Inflection

Noun

Inflection

References

Esperanto

Pronunciation

Letter

See also

Estonian

Pronunciation

Letter

Usage notes

See also

Finnish

Pronunciation

Letter

Usage notes

See also

French

Pronunciation

Letter

Gothic

Romanization

Hungarian