Zeus

/zjuːs/

//zjuːs// name

"zeus" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Zeus” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #14,256 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#14,256
frequency rank, English
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
14
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Supreme ruler of all Greek gods, husband to Hera.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Zeus vs zhu
25% similar
Zeus vs Zips
50% similar
Zeus vs ze
25% similar

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

Key facts for Zeus
PropertyValue
HeadwordZeus
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/zjuːs/
Letters4
Frequency rank#14,256
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs14
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Zeus” sits in English 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). Zeus 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 English entry for Zeus is 4 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /zjuːs/. Corpus data places it at rank #14,256 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for Zeus, with forms such as "ezus", "zesu", and "zeuss". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 14 confusable-pair relationships, "zhu", "Zips", "ze", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Ancient Greek Ζεύς (Zeús). Doublet of Dyeus and Jove. The correct English form is Zeus, spelled Z-E-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Supreme ruler of all Greek gods, husband to Hera.
  2. 2
    A male given name.
  3. 3
    A representative given name for a dog.

Etymology

From Ancient Greek Ζεύς (Zeús). Doublet of Dyeus and Jove.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ezus,zesu,zeuss,zues,zzeus

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Zeus - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ezus2zesu2zeuss1zues2zzeus1
Edit distance from "Zeus"

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 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Zeus"?
"Zeus" is spelled Z-E-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /zjuːs/.
What does "Zeus" mean?
As a proper noun, "Zeus" means: Supreme ruler of all Greek gods, husband to Hera.
What words are commonly confused with "Zeus"?
"Zeus" is commonly confused with "zhu", "Zips", "ze". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Zeus"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Zeus" is /zjuːs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "Zeus"?
From Ancient Greek Ζεύς (Zeús). Doublet of Dyeus and Jove. 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 “Zeus”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is Z-E-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /zjuːs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “zhu” - see the side-by-side comparison. Zeus vs zhu
  • 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