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  • z
    z
    abbreviation
  • Z
    Z
    noun
    the 26th letter of the English alphabet, a consonant.
  • z.
    z.
    abbreviation
    zero.

z

1 American  

abbreviation

  1. zone.


z 2 American  
Symbol, Mathematics.
  1. an unknown quantity or variable.

  2. (in Cartesian coordinates) the z- axis.


Z 3 American  
[zee, zed, iz-erd] / zi, zɛd, ˈɪz ərd /
Or z

noun

Z's, plural Zs, plural z's, plural zs plural
  1. the 26th letter of the English alphabet, a consonant.

  2. any spoken sound represented by the letter Z or z, as in zero, zigzag, or buzzer.

  3. something having the shape of a Z .

  4. a written or printed representation of the letter Z or z.

  5. a device, as a printer's type, for reproducing the letter Z or z.


Z 4 American  

abbreviation

  1. Astronomy. zenith distance.

  2. zone.


Z 5 American  
Symbol.
  1. the 26th in order or in a series.

  2. (sometimes lowercase) the medieval Roman numeral for 2000.

  3. Chemistry, Physics. atomic number.

  4. Electricity. impedance.


z. 6 American  

abbreviation

  1. zero.


Z 1 British  

symbol

  1. any unknown, variable, or unspecified factor, number, person, or thing

  2. chem atomic number

  3. physics impedance

  4. zone

  5. currency zaïre

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

abbreviation

  1. Zambia (international car registration)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
z 2 British  
/ ziː, zɛd /

noun

  1. the 26th and last letter and the 20th consonant of the modern English alphabet

  2. a speech sound represented by this letter, in English usually a voiced alveolar fricative, as in zip

    1. something shaped like a Z

    2. ( in combination )

      a Z-bend in a road

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

z 3 British  

symbol

  1. the z- axis or a coordinate measured along the z- axis in a Cartesian or cylindrical coordinate system

  2. an algebraic variable

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

z Idioms  
  1. see from soup to nuts (a to z).


Other Word Forms

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In 2010, Herbst Gaming declared bankruptcy and saw Primm taken over by Z Capital Partners.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

A survey conducted for Indeed last year found that 56% of Gen Z workers had rising expectations about these dynamics, compared with 49% of millennials, 39% of Gen Xers and 29% of baby boomers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Jackie Jantos told the BBC Gen Z daters "absolutely want love" but were "struggling to have the confidence to put themselves out there" as they socialise less in person.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

Gen Z and Gen Alpha aren’t so fatigued by Monkey’s Paw tales because horror’s cyclical nature hasn’t yet completely revamped this trope for a new era.

From Salon • Jun. 4, 2026

“Whatever you say, boss,” Z said, and he slipped out of the door, down the alley, and across the railroad tracks, disappearing into the trees on the far side.

From "Ruby Holler" by Sharon Creech

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