zeugma |
a rhetorical construction in which one word, usu. an adjective or verb, modifies or governs two or more words, although it makes straightforward logical sense with only one, as in "loud thunder and lightning". |
Zeus |
in Greek mythology, the supreme Olympian god; Jupiter. |
ziggurat |
a terraced, pyramidal tower of the ancient Sumerians, Assyrians, and Babylonians. |
zigzag |
a line or course that moves back and forth to form a series of sharp angles. [5 definitions] |
Zika |
a virus transmitted by certain mosquitos that sometimes causes a typically mild, influenza-like illness in adults and children but that can also cause microcephaly in infants born to mothers infected with the virus. Zika is also associated with complications of pregnancy and neurological disorders in children and adults. Many people infected with the virus do not have symptoms of infection. |
zilch |
(slang) zero; nothing; nil. |
zillion |
(informal) an extremely large, indefinite number. |
Zimbabwe |
a south central African country between Zambia, Mozambique, and Botswana; formerly Rhodesia. |
zinc |
a chemical element that has thirty protons in each nucleus and that occurs in pure form as a bluish white corrosion-resistant metal that is brittle at room temperature but becomes malleable when heated, used in a variety of alloys and in electrical devices. (symbol: Zn) [2 definitions] |
zinc ointment |
a salve that contains zinc oxide and is used to treat skin conditions. |
zinc oxide |
a whitish powder used as a pigment, in the manufacture of rubber articles and plastics, and in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. |
zinc sulfate |
a colorless crystalline compound used medicinally as an astringent or emetic, and as a preservative for wood and skins, a bleach for paper, a fungicide, and the like. |
zinc white |
zinc oxide, esp. when used as a white pigment. |
zinfandel |
(sometimes cap.) a dry red wine made primarily in California. [2 definitions] |
zing |
energetic qualities; liveliness; vitality. [3 definitions] |
zinger |
(informal) a quick witty retort or remark, esp. one causing embarrassment. [2 definitions] |
zinnia |
any of various plants related to the daisy, native to North and South America, and noted for showy, long-lasting, colorful flowers. |
Zion |
the hill in Jerusalem on which the Temple was built. [3 definitions] |
Zionism |
an international Jewish movement formerly for reestablishing in Palestine a Jewish national homeland, and now for supporting and developing it. |
zip1 |
a sudden, sharp whizzing noise, such as that of an arrow or bullet in flight. [4 definitions] |
zip2 |
to fasten or unfasten by closing or opening a zipper. [2 definitions] |