# zinc

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈzɪŋk/ · frequency rank #12,172

## Definitions
1. A chemical element (symbol Zn) with an atomic number of 30, a blue-silvery metal that is slightly brittle at room temperature and tarnishes slightly in moist air.
2. A single atom of this element.
3. A corrugated iron roof.
4. A zinc countertop.

## Etymology
Borrowed from German Zink, related to Zinke (“point, prong”), from Middle High German zinke, from Old High German zinko (“prong, tine”), allied to zint (“a jag, point”), from Proto-Germanic *tindaz (“prong, pinnacle”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃dónts (“tooth, projection”). Cognate with Old English tind (“tine, prong”), Middle Low German tinde, Icelandic tindur (“spike, tooth of a rake or harrow, pinnacle, peak, battlement”). See also Dutch tinne (“battlement”), German Zinne (“pinnacle, battlement”), Danish tinde (“pinnacle, battlement”), Swedish tinne (“tooth of a rake”), More at tine. Doublet of zincum.

## Easily confused with
- **zip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zinc-vs-zip)
- **zone** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zinc-vs-zone)
- **Zion** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zinc-vs-zion)
- **zine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zinc-vs-zine)
- **Zips** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zinc-vs-zips)
- **zing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zinc-vs-zing)
- **zona** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zinc-vs-zona)
- **Zen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zen-vs-zinc)
- **zac** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zac-vs-zinc)
- **zig** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zig-vs-zinc)
- **Zia** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zia-vs-zinc)
- **Zim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zim-vs-zinc)
- **Zane** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zane-vs-zinc)
- **zika** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zika-vs-zinc)
- **zany** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zany-vs-zinc)
- **Zeno** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zeno-vs-zinc)
- **zain** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/zain-vs-zinc)

## Common misspellings (6)
`iznc`, `zicn`, `zincc`, `zinnc`, `znic`, `zzinc`

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