Generation Z
Americannoun
Usage
What does Generation Z mean? Generation Z is the name for the generation of children after the millennials, born in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Etymology
Origin of Generation Z
First recorded in 1990–95; patterned on Generation X ( def. ), Generation Y ( def. )
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.
Fidelity said it has seen strong participation by Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026
Read more: Generation Z thinks it needs $500,000 a year to succeed.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 5, 2026
But a 2025 survey of 12,000 workers from 44 countries suggested younger workers were "leading the return to the office", with so-called Generation Z more likely to be in the office than their older counterparts.
From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026
That’s the answer many in Generation Z give when confronted with online fraud and privacy concerns.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026
Editor’s note: In this Future View, students discuss the divide between Generation Z men and women.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
