zoster

\zɔ.stɛʁ\

/\zɔ.stɛʁ\/ noun

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency French
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Variante de zostère.

Corpus desk

Index FR-zoster · zoster · French

zoster · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 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 zoster
PropertyValue
Headwordzoster
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\zɔ.stɛʁ\
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Longue queue: rang de « zoster » en français

zostersiège au-delà des 100.000 formes les plus fréquentes du français, dans la traîne du lexique spécialisé ou peu usité.

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

Rare enough to double-check

zoster is uncommon French outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed \zɔ.stɛʁ\. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for zoster, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct French form is zoster, spelled Z-O-S-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Variante de zostère.
  2. 2
    Zona. Le terme est surtout utilisé associé au nom herpès, la maladie portant le nom international de herpes zoster.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. L’herpès zoster est provoqué par la réactivation d’un virus varicelle-zona (cause de la varicelle) après une phase de latence.
  2. La vaccination contre le zona (herpès zoster) par le vaccin Zostavax® est désormais recommandée en Suisse pour les personnes âgées de 65 à 79 ans, ainsi que pour les personnes de 50 à 79 ans, pour lesquelles un traitement immunosuppresseur est prévu dans un futur proche.

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 "zoster"?
"zoster" is spelled Z-O-S-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is \zɔ.stɛʁ\.
What does "zoster" mean?
As a noun, "zoster" means: Variante de zostère.
How do you pronounce "zoster"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "zoster" is \zɔ.stɛʁ\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "zoster" come from?
"zoster" is a French 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