Ground Zero

[ˈɡʁaʊ̯nd ˈziəʁoʊ]

/[ˈɡʁaʊ̯nd ˈziəʁoʊ]/ noun

The verdict

“Ground Zero” is outside the top-ranked German vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency German
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Gelände des am 9. November 2001 durch einen Terroranschlag zerstörten World Trade Centers in New York

Key facts for Ground Zero
PropertyValue
HeadwordGround Zero
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈɡʁaʊ̯nd ˈziəʁoʊ]
Letters11
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Ground Zero” sits in German frequency

Ground Zero falls outside the top-100,000 ranked German words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The German entry for Ground Zero is 11 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈɡʁaʊ̯nd ˈziəʁoʊ]. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "Gelände des am 9. November 2001 durch einen Terroranschlag zerstörten World Trade Centers in New York".

No misspelling variants are generated for Ground Zero in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular German conventions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, leaving phoneme-to-grapheme mapping as the best guide to its spelling rather than a borrowing history. The correct German form is Ground Zero, spelled G-R-O-U-N-D- -Z-E-R-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    Gelände des am 9. November 2001 durch einen Terroranschlag zerstörten World Trade Centers in New York

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Ground Zero"?
"Ground Zero" is spelled G-R-O-U-N-D- -Z-E-R-O. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈɡʁaʊ̯nd ˈziəʁoʊ].
What does "Ground Zero" mean?
As a noun, "Ground Zero" means: Gelände des am 9. November 2001 durch einen Terroranschlag zerstörten World Trade Centers in New York
How do you pronounce "Ground Zero"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Ground Zero" is [ˈɡʁaʊ̯nd ˈziəʁoʊ]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Ground Zero" come from?
"Ground Zero" is a German word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Ground Zero”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct German spelling is G-R-O-U-N-D- -Z-E-R-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈɡʁaʊ̯nd ˈziəʁoʊ] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more German words and confusable pairs in the same reference. German words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list