z
1 Americanabbreviation
-
an unknown quantity or variable.
-
(in Cartesian coordinates) the z- axis.
noun
plural
Z's, Zs, z's, zs-
the 26th letter of the English alphabet, a consonant.
-
any spoken sound represented by the letter Z or z, as in zero, zigzag, or buzzer.
-
something having the shape of a Z .
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a written or printed representation of the letter Z or z.
-
a device, as a printer's type, for reproducing the letter Z or z.
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the 26th in order or in a series.
-
(sometimes lowercase) the medieval Roman numeral for 2000.
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Chemistry, Physics. atomic number.
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Electricity. impedance.
abbreviation
symbol
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any unknown, variable, or unspecified factor, number, person, or thing
-
chem atomic number
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physics impedance
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zone
-
currency zaïre
abbreviation
noun
-
the 26th and last letter and the 20th consonant of the modern English alphabet
-
a speech sound represented by this letter, in English usually a voiced alveolar fricative, as in zip
-
-
something shaped like a Z
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( in combination )
a Z-bend in a road
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symbol
-
the z- axis or a coordinate measured along the z- axis in a Cartesian or cylindrical coordinate system
-
an algebraic variable
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.
For example: “If we do this, could it prevent us from reaching the revenue target because x, y and z might happen?”
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025
"A remarkable Ruby: Absorption in dense gas, rather than evolved stars, drives the extreme Balmer break of a Little Red Dot at z = 3.5" in Astronomy & Astrophysics.
From Science Daily • Nov. 29, 2025
“There are thousands of group chats like this where gen z people talk like that,” he said.
From Slate • Oct. 15, 2025
Fyfield Manor, near Wallingford in Oxfordshire, posted a video to its TikTok page on Monday with the caption: "When you ask your gen z daughter to write the marketing script."
From BBC • Sep. 5, 2024
“Basically. It’s part of who Milez with a z is. But that’s his creation. It’s not me.”
From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas
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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.