zeugma

[ˈsewɣ̞ma]

/[ˈsewɣ̞ma]/ noun

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency Spanish
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Figura retórica que se emplea cuando una palabra que está relacionada con dos o más voces se expresa una sola vez, debiendo de sobreentenderse las demás.

Corpus desk

Index ES-zeugma · zeugma · Spanish

zeugma · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "Z" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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 zeugma
PropertyValue
Headwordzeugma
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈsewɣ̞ma]
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Cola larga: rango de “zeugma” en español

zeugmaqueda fuera de las 100.000 palabras españolas más frecuentes, en la cola larga de vocabulario técnico, arcaico o raro, justo donde más se duda de la ortografía.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

zeugma is uncommon Spanish outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed [ˈsewɣ̞ma]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Figura retórica que se emplea cuando una palabra que está relacionada con dos o más voces se expresa una sola vez, debiendo de sobreentenderse las demás.".

No generated misspelling entries exist for zeugma in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling is easiest to reason about phoneme by phoneme, absent a documented history. The correct Spanish form is zeugma, spelled Z-E-U-G-M-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    Figura retórica que se emplea cuando una palabra que está relacionada con dos o más voces se expresa una sola vez, debiendo de sobreentenderse las demás.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. era de complexión recia, seco de carnes, enjuto de rostro, gran madrugador y amigo de la caza. (Miguel de Cervantes).

This word in other languages

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 "zeugma"?
"zeugma" is spelled Z-E-U-G-M-A. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈsewɣ̞ma].
What does "zeugma" mean?
As a noun, "zeugma" means: Figura retórica que se emplea cuando una palabra que está relacionada con dos o más voces se expresa una sola vez, debiendo de sobreentenderse las demás.
How do you pronounce "zeugma"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "zeugma" is [ˈsewɣ̞ma]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "zeugma" come from?
"zeugma" 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list