Zapotec

noun

"zapotec" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Zapotec” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A member of an indigenous people of Mexico, concentrated in the state of Oaxaca and spread into some neighbouring states.

Key facts for Zapotec
PropertyValue
HeadwordZapotec
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Zapotec” sits in English frequency

Zapotec falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English 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.

Rare enough to double-check

Zapotec is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A member of an indigenous people of Mexico, concentrated in the state of Oaxaca and spread into some neighbouring states.".

Zapotec doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Spanish zapoteca, from Nahuatl tzapotēcah, plural of tzapotēcatl (“inhabitant of the place of sapote”). The correct English form is Zapotec, spelled Z-A-P-O-T-E-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    A member of an indigenous people of Mexico, concentrated in the state of Oaxaca and spread into some neighbouring states.

Etymology

From Spanish zapoteca, from Nahuatl tzapotēcah, plural of tzapotēcatl (“inhabitant of the place of sapote”).

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 "Zapotec"?
"Zapotec" is spelled Z-A-P-O-T-E-C.
What does "Zapotec" mean?
As a noun, "Zapotec" means: A member of an indigenous people of Mexico, concentrated in the state of Oaxaca and spread into some neighbouring states.
What is the origin of the word "Zapotec"?
From Spanish zapoteca, from Nahuatl tzapotēcah, plural of tzapotēcatl (“inhabitant of the place of sapote”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
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 “Zapotec”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is Z-A-P-O-T-E-C - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English 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