Adjectives That Start with Z

There are not very many adjectives that start with Z. In fact, there are not very many English words at all that start with the letter Z, and many of them are considered very informal if not slang terms. That fact, however, should not preclude us from using and enjoying them. Indeed, slang words often convey our intended meaning the most precisely, and the more we use them, the more common they become until before we know it, they are no longer slang at all but legitimate vocabulary. Use these Z-adjectives with pride, therefore. They may be few in number, but they still have plenty to say.

Fourteen Adjectives That Start With Z

• zaftig - having a full, shapely figure: said of a woman See? Right off the bat, we’ve got a great adjective for describing a plump woman without any negative connotations, and here’s a fun fact about “zaftig:” It’s a Yiddish word that comes from the German “saftig,” which means juicy.
• zany - comical in an extravagantly ludicrous or slapstick manner Like anything Chris Farley ever did, but particularly the scene in Tommy Boy when he’s trying to change clothes in the airplane bathroom.
• zazzy - shiny or flashy Forget about “bling.” Zazzy is the upgraded version. It’s “snazzy” cranked up a notch.
• zealous - full of, characterized by, or showing zeal; ardently devoted to a purpose; fervent; enthusiastic
• zesty - full of zest, energetic, active
• zibeline - of or having to do with sables You know, the animal. Really this word is just for you to use to impress your friends. Or perhaps to alienate and irritate them. Use with caution.
• zigzag - having a series of short, sharp angles or turns in alternate directions, as in a line or course Remember, if you are being chased by a crocodile, you should run away from it in a zigzag pattern.
• zinciferous -yielding or containing zinc Again, you will probably not find this word useful in everyday conversation, but should the need for it ever arise, at least now you know it.
• zippy - full of vim and energy; brisk
• zoetic - of or pertaining to life Both this word and the next come from the Greek word, “zoe,” which means life.
• zoic - of or pertaining to animals or animal life
• zonked - highly intoxicated or under the influence of a drug; completely tired out or exhausted Whether inebriated or enervated, “zonked” implies that one is incapacitated due to a weakening of body or the mind.
• zoogenic - caused by or starting in animals, as a disease
• zoological - of, pertaining to, or concerned with animals

There you have it. The few, the proud, the adjectives that start with Z. Use them, love them, live them.