Zebra

[ˈt͡seːbʁa]

/[ˈt͡seːbʁa]/ noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“Zebra” is a moderately-common German word, ranked #27,141 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#27,141
frequency rank, German
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - ein in Afrika beheimatetes, zur Gattung der Pferde (Equidae) gehörendes, wildlebendes Huftier (Hippotigris), dessen Fell einen – je nach Art / Unterart – weißlichen bis hellbraunen Grundton mit brä...

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Zebra vs zero
40% similar
Zebra vs zerrt
40% similar
Zebra vs zebras
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Zebra
PropertyValue
HeadwordZebra
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈt͡seːbʁa]
Letters5
Frequency rank#27,141
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Zebra” sits in German frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Zebra lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The German entry for Zebra is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈt͡seːbʁa]. Corpus data places it at rank #27,141 in overall German word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for Zebra, with forms such as "ezbra", "zbera", and "zebar". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "zero", "zerrt", "zebras", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

No documented word history exists for this headword, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct German form is Zebra, spelled Z-E-B-R-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    ein in Afrika beheimatetes, zur Gattung der Pferde (Equidae) gehörendes, wildlebendes Huftier (Hippotigris), dessen Fell einen – je nach Art / Unterart – weißlichen bis hellbraunen Grundton mit bräunlichen bis schwarzen Querstreifen aufweist
  2. 2
    Person, die eine Freiheitsstrafe in einem Zuchthaus verbüßen muss beziehungsweise verbüßt hat
  3. 3
    Person, die in einem Konzentrationslager gefangen gehalten wird
  4. 4
    gestreifte Häftlingskleidung der unter [3] beschriebenen Person

Synonyms

DeutschlandPferd im BadeanzugTigerpferdZuchthäuslerKZ-HäftlingKZ-InsasseKZ-InsassinKZ-HäftlingskleidungZebra-AnzugZebraanzugZebra-KleidungZebrakleidungZebra-KostümZebrakostüm

This word in other languages

zebra(English)cebra(Español)zèbre(Français)zebra(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ezbra,zbera,zebar,zebbra,zebrra,zerba,zzebra

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Zebra - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ezbra2zbera2zebar2zebbra1zebrra1zerba2zzebra1
Edit distance from "Zebra"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 German corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Zebra"?
"Zebra" is spelled Z-E-B-R-A. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈt͡seːbʁa].
What does "Zebra" mean?
As a noun, "Zebra" means: ein in Afrika beheimatetes, zur Gattung der Pferde (Equidae) gehörendes, wildlebendes Huftier (Hippotigris), dessen Fell einen – je nach Art / Unterart – weißlichen bis hellbraunen Grundton mit brä...
What words are commonly confused with "Zebra"?
"Zebra" is commonly confused with "zero", "zerrt", "zebras". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Zebra"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Zebra" is [ˈt͡seːbʁa]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Zebra" come from?
"Zebra" is a German word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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 “Zebra”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is Z-E-B-R-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈt͡seːbʁa] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “zero” - see the side-by-side comparison. Zebra vs zero
  • 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