zori

/ˈzɔːɹi/

//ˈzɔːɹi// noun

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

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency English
4
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A Japanese sandal made from rice straw or lacquered wood, worn with a kimono for formal occasions.

Corpus desk

Index EN-zori · zori · English

zori · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MID 4 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "Z" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for zori
PropertyValue
Headwordzori
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈzɔːɹi/
Letters4
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “zori” in English

zorifalls 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

zori is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈzɔːɹi/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for zori in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Japanese 草履 (zōri). The correct English form is zori, spelled Z-O-R-I.

Definition

  1. 1
    A Japanese sandal made from rice straw or lacquered wood, worn with a kimono for formal occasions.
  2. 2
    A sandal, usually of rubber, secured to the foot by two straps mounted between the big toe and its neighbour.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how zori appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. 1983 July, Tony Annesi, Dogu: Tools For the Way, Black Belt, page 70, Zori should be left at the edge of the training area so they can easily be stepped into. In Western dojo, this is sometimes impractical, but zori should at least be put on as soon as possible after leaving the training area.
  2. […]and they had a machine gun aimed at us, and we stood in the snow for three, four, five hours in our underwear and zoris.

Etymology

From Japanese 草履 (zōri).

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 "zori"?
"zori" is spelled Z-O-R-I. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈzɔːɹi/.
What does "zori" mean?
As a noun, "zori" means: A Japanese sandal made from rice straw or lacquered wood, worn with a kimono for formal occasions.
How do you pronounce "zori"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "zori" is /ˈzɔːɹi/. 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 "zori"?
From Japanese 草履 (zōri). 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.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list