zapa

[ˈsapa]

/[ˈsapa]/ noun

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

The verdict

“zapa” is an uncommon Spanish word, ranked #72,415 in Spanish word frequency and used as a noun.

#72,415
frequency rank, Spanish
4
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Especie de pala herrada de la mitad abajo, con un corte acerado, que usan los zapadores o gastadores.

Key facts for zapa
PropertyValue
Headwordzapa
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈsapa]
Letters4
Frequency rank#72,415
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “zapa” sits in Spanish 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). zapa 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 Spanish entry for zapa is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈsapa]. Corpus data places it at rank #72,415 in overall Spanish word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No generated misspelling entries exist for zapa in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable Spanish rules. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, leaving phoneme-to-grapheme mapping as the best guide to its spelling rather than a borrowing history. The correct Spanish form is zapa, spelled Z-A-P-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    Especie de pala herrada de la mitad abajo, con un corte acerado, que usan los zapadores o gastadores.
  2. 2
    Excavación de galería subterránea o de zanja al descubierto.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "zapa"?
"zapa" is spelled Z-A-P-A. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈsapa].
What does "zapa" mean?
As a noun, "zapa" means: Especie de pala herrada de la mitad abajo, con un corte acerado, que usan los zapadores o gastadores.
How do you pronounce "zapa"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "zapa" is [ˈsapa]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "zapa" come from?
"zapa" is a Spanish word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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 “zapa”

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

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is Z-A-P-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈsapa] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish 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