zoster

/ˈzɑstɚ/

//ˈzɑstɚ// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"zoster" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“zoster” is uncommon English (frequency #71,246 among 2,810 “Z” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#71,246
frequency rank, English
2,810
“Z” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An ancient Greek waist-belt for men.

Key facts for zoster
PropertyValue
Headwordzoster
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈzɑstɚ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#71,246
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “zoster” 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). zoster lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

zoster is uncommon English at frequency #71,246 among 2,810 “Z” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈzɑstɚ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for zoster, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin zōstēr, from Ancient Greek ζωστήρ (zōstḗr). The correct English form is zoster, spelled Z-O-S-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    An ancient Greek waist-belt for men.
  2. 2
    The disease called herpes zoster (from the typically beltlike pattern of its rash); shingles.

Etymology

From Latin zōstēr, from Ancient Greek ζωστήρ (zōstḗr).

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 "zoster"?
"zoster" is spelled Z-O-S-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈzɑstɚ/.
What does "zoster" mean?
As a noun, "zoster" means: An ancient Greek waist-belt for men.
How do you pronounce "zoster"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "zoster" is /ˈzɑstɚ/. 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 "zoster"?
From Latin zōstēr, from Ancient Greek ζωστήρ (zōstḗr). 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 “zoster”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is Z-O-S-T-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈzɑstɚ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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