# zeta

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈziː.tə/ · frequency rank #26,311

## Definitions
1. The sixth letter of the modern Greek alphabet (Ζ, ζ) preceded by epsilon (Ε, ε) and followed by eta, (Η, η); or the seventh letter in the ancient Greek alphabet, in which it is preceded by digamma (Ϝ, ϝ)
2. A mathematical function, formally known as the Riemann zeta function.

## Etymology
From the Ancient Greek ζῆτα (zêta). Doublet of zed.

## Easily confused with
- **Zia** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zeta-vs-zia)
- **Zeus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zeta-vs-zeus)
- **Zuma** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zeta-vs-zuma)
- **zika** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zeta-vs-zika)
- **zona** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zeta-vs-zona)
- **za** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/za-vs-zeta)
- **ze** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ze-vs-zeta)
- **Zen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zen-vs-zeta)
- **zee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zee-vs-zeta)
- **zed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zed-vs-zeta)
- **zero** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zero-vs-zeta)
- **Zara** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zara-vs-zeta)
- **zeal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zeal-vs-zeta)
- **Zeke** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zeke-vs-zeta)
- **zest** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zest-vs-zeta)
- **Zeno** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zeno-vs-zeta)
- **Zelda** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zelda-vs-zeta)
- **zebra** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zebra-vs-zeta)

## Common misspellings (5)
`ezta`, `zeat`, `zetta`, `ztea`, `zzeta`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/zeta