zeta

See also: ZETA, Zeta, zetą, zéta, zèta, zêta, żęta, and żętą

English

Ancient Greek alphabet

← epsilon		→ eta
Ζ ζ Ancient Greek: ζῆτα
Wikipedia article on zeta

Etymology

From the Ancient Greek ζῆτα (zêta). Doublet of zed.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈziː.tə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈzeɪtə/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -iːtə, -eɪtə

Noun

zeta (plural zetas)

2. The sixth letter of the modern Greek alphabet (Ζ, ζ) preceded by epsilon (Ε, ε) and followed by eta, (Η, η); or the seventh letter in the ancient Greek alphabet, in which it is preceded by digamma (Ϝ, ϝ)
3. (mathematics) A mathematical function, formally known as the Riemann zeta function.

   Zeta of 3 is irrational

Derived terms

• multizeta
• polyzeta
• zetabetical
• zetacism
• zeta function
• zetametric
• zetametry
• zeta pinch
• zetapotential
• zeta potential
• zeta value

Translations

sixth letter of the Greek alphabet

• Arabic: زِيتَا f (zītā)
• Asturian: zeta (ast) f
• Bulgarian: зе́та f (zéta)
• Catalan: zeta (ca) f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 澤塔 / 泽塔 (zh) (zétǎ), 截塔 (zh) (jiétǎ)

• Czech: zéta
• Dutch: zèta (nl) m or f
• Esperanto: zeto (eo)
• Finnish: zeeta (fi), tseeta
• French: zêta (fr) m, dzêta (fr) m
• German: Zeta (de) n
• Greek: ζήτα (el) n (zíta)

  Ancient Greek: ζῆτα n (zêta)

• Hebrew: זֵיתָא f (zéta)
• Hungarian: dzéta (hu)
• Ido: zeta (io)
• Interlingua: zeta
• Italian: zeta (it) m or f
• Japanese: ゼータ (ja) (zēta)
• Korean: 제타 (ko) (jeta)
• Malay: zeta
• Persian: زتا (fa) (zetâ)
• Polish: dzeta (pl) f
• Portuguese: zeta (pt) m, dzeta m
• Russian: дзе́та (ru) f (dzɛ́ta), зи́та (ru) f (zíta)
• Sicilian: zita (scn) m or f
• Spanish: dseta (es) f, zeta (es) f
• Tagalog: seta (tl)
• Thai: ซีตา (sii-dtâa)

Seventh letter of the ancient Greek alphabet

• Bulgarian: зе́та f (zéta)
• Catalan: zeta (ca) f
• Dutch: zèta (nl) m or f
• Finnish: zeeta (fi)
• German: Zeta (de) n
• Greek: ζήτα (el) n (zíta)

  Ancient Greek: ζῆτα n (zêta)

• Hungarian: dzéta (hu)
• Ido: zeta (io)
• Interlingua: zeta
• Italian: zeta (it) m
• Latin: zēta (la)
• Malay: zeta
• Portuguese: zeta (pt) m, dzeta m
• Russian: дзе́та (ru) f (dzɛ́ta)
• Sicilian: zita (scn) m
• Spanish: dseda f, zeta (es) f

mathematical function

• Finnish: zeeta-funktio
• Russian: дзе́та-фу́нкция (ru) f (dzéta-fúnkcija)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Interlingua: ^{(please verify)} zeta

See also

• (Greek-script letter names) alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, zeta, eta, theta, iota, kappa, lambda, mu, nu, xi, omicron, pi, rho, sigma, tau, upsilon, phi, chi, psi, omega

Anagrams

• zate

Asturian

Alternative forms

• ceta

Etymology

From the Ancient Greek ζῆτα (zêta).

Noun

zeta f (plural zetes)

1. The name of the Latin script letter Z/z.
2. zeta (Greek letter)

Basque

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /s̻eta/ [s̻e.t̪a]

• IPA^(key): (most dialects) /s̻eta/ [s̻e.t̪a]
• IPA^(key): (Biscayan) /s̺eta/ [s̺e.t̪a]

• Rhymes: -eta, -a
• Hyphenation: ze‧ta

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Ancient Greek θῆτα (thêta)bor.

Spanish zetabor.

Basque zeta

Borrowed from Spanish zeta.

Noun

zeta inan

1. The name of the Latin script letter Z/z.
2. zeta (Greek letter)

Declension

Declension of zeta (inan a-stem)

	indefinite	singular	plural	proximal plural
absolutive	zeta	zeta	zetak	zetok
ergative	zetak	zetak	zetek	zetok
dative	zetari	zetari	zetei	zetoi
genitive	zetaren	zetaren	zeten	zeton
comitative	zetarekin	zetarekin	zetekin	zetokin
causative	zetarengatik	zetarengatik	zetengatik	zetongatik
benefactive	zetarentzat	zetarentzat	zetentzat	zetontzat
instrumental	zetaz	zetaz	zetez	zetotaz
inessive	zetatan	zetan	zetetan	zetotan
locative	zetatako	zetako	zetetako	zetotako
allative	zetatara	zetara	zetetara	zetotara
terminative	zetataraino	zetaraino	zetetaraino	zetotaraino
directive	zetatarantz	zetarantz	zetetarantz	zetotarantz
destinative	zetatarako	zetarako	zetetarako	zetotarako
ablative	zetatatik	zetatik	zetetatik	zetotatik
partitive	zetarik	—	—	—
prolative	zetatzat	—	—	—

See also

• (Latin-script letter names) a, be, ze, de, e, efe, ge, hatxe, i, jota, ka, ele, eme, ene, eñe, o, pe, ku, erre, ese, te, u, uve, uve bikoitz, ixa, i greko, zeta

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *seh₂-

Proto-Indo-European *-éyti

?

Proto-Indo-European *sh₂ey-

Proto-Indo-European *séh₂it-o/eh₂-

Proto-Italic *saitā

Latin saetabor.

Basque zeta

Borrowed from Latin saeta (“bristle, silk”).

Noun

zeta inan

1. silk

   Synonym: ziriku

Declension

Declension of zeta (inan a-stem)

	indefinite	singular	plural	proximal plural
absolutive	zeta	zeta	zetak	zetok
ergative	zetak	zetak	zetek	zetok
dative	zetari	zetari	zetei	zetoi
genitive	zetaren	zetaren	zeten	zeton
comitative	zetarekin	zetarekin	zetekin	zetokin
causative	zetarengatik	zetarengatik	zetengatik	zetongatik
benefactive	zetarentzat	zetarentzat	zetentzat	zetontzat
instrumental	zetaz	zetaz	zetez	zetotaz
inessive	zetatan	zetan	zetetan	zetotan
locative	zetatako	zetako	zetetako	zetotako
allative	zetatara	zetara	zetetara	zetotara
terminative	zetataraino	zetaraino	zetetaraino	zetotaraino
directive	zetatarantz	zetarantz	zetetarantz	zetotarantz
destinative	zetatarako	zetarako	zetetarako	zetotarako
ablative	zetatatik	zetatik	zetetatik	zetotatik
partitive	zetarik	—	—	—
prolative	zetatzat	—	—	—

Derived terms

• zetabatu
• zetabe
• zetatxu

Further reading

• “zeta”, in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia [Dictionary of the Basque Academy] (in Basque), Euskaltzaindia [Royal Academy of the Basque Language]
• “zeta”, in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia [General Basque Dictionary], Euskaltzaindia, 1987–2005

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ζῆτα (zêta).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [ˈzɛ.tə]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [ˈze.tə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ˈze.ta]

Noun

zeta f (plural zetes)

1. The name of the Latin script letter Z/z.
2. the Greek letter Ζ (lowercase ζ)

Further reading

• “zeta”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
• “zeta”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026
• “zeta” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• Alcover, Antoni Maria; Moll, Francesc de Borja (1963), “zeta”, in Diccionari català-valencià-balear (in Catalan)

Finnish

Alternative forms

• tseta

Etymology

From the Ancient Greek ζῆτα (zêta).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtsetɑ/, [ˈts̠e̞t̪ɑ̝]
• IPA^(key): /ˈzetɑ/, [ˈze̞t̪ɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -etɑ
• Syllabification^(key): ze‧ta
• Hyphenation^(key): ze‧ta

Noun

zeta

1. The name of the Latin script letter Z/z.

Declension

Inflection of zeta (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)
nominative		zeta	zetat
genitive		zetan	zetojen
partitive		zetaa	zetoja
illative		zetaan	zetoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		zeta	zetat
accusative	nom.	zeta	zetat
	gen.	zetan
genitive		zetan	zetojen zetain rare
partitive		zetaa	zetoja
inessive		zetassa	zetoissa
elative		zetasta	zetoista
illative		zetaan	zetoihin
adessive		zetalla	zetoilla
ablative		zetalta	zetoilta
allative		zetalle	zetoille
essive		zetana	zetoina
translative		zetaksi	zetoiksi
abessive		zetatta	zetoitta
instructive		—	zetoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of zeta (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative zetani zetani accusative nom. zetani zetani gen. zetani genitive zetani zetojeni zetaini rare partitive zetaani zetojani inessive zetassani zetoissani elative zetastani zetoistani illative zetaani zetoihini adessive zetallani zetoillani ablative zetaltani zetoiltani allative zetalleni zetoilleni essive zetanani zetoinani translative zetakseni zetoikseni abessive zetattani zetoittani instructive — — comitative — zetoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative zetasi zetasi accusative nom. zetasi zetasi gen. zetasi genitive zetasi zetojesi zetaisi rare partitive zetaasi zetojasi inessive zetassasi zetoissasi elative zetastasi zetoistasi illative zetaasi zetoihisi adessive zetallasi zetoillasi ablative zetaltasi zetoiltasi allative zetallesi zetoillesi essive zetanasi zetoinasi translative zetaksesi zetoiksesi abessive zetattasi zetoittasi instructive — — comitative — zetoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative zetamme zetamme accusative nom. zetamme zetamme gen. zetamme genitive zetamme zetojemme zetaimme rare partitive zetaamme zetojamme inessive zetassamme zetoissamme elative zetastamme zetoistamme illative zetaamme zetoihimme adessive zetallamme zetoillamme ablative zetaltamme zetoiltamme allative zetallemme zetoillemme essive zetanamme zetoinamme translative zetaksemme zetoiksemme abessive zetattamme zetoittamme instructive — — comitative — zetoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative zetanne zetanne accusative nom. zetanne zetanne gen. zetanne genitive zetanne zetojenne zetainne rare partitive zetaanne zetojanne inessive zetassanne zetoissanne elative zetastanne zetoistanne illative zetaanne zetoihinne adessive zetallanne zetoillanne ablative zetaltanne zetoiltanne allative zetallenne zetoillenne essive zetananne zetoinanne translative zetaksenne zetoiksenne abessive zetattanne zetoittanne instructive — — comitative — zetoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative zetansa zetansa accusative nom. zetansa zetansa gen. zetansa genitive zetansa zetojensa zetainsa rare partitive zetaansa zetojaan zetojansa inessive zetassaan zetassansa zetoissaan zetoissansa elative zetastaan zetastansa zetoistaan zetoistansa illative zetaansa zetoihinsa adessive zetallaan zetallansa zetoillaan zetoillansa ablative zetaltaan zetaltansa zetoiltaan zetoiltansa allative zetalleen zetallensa zetoilleen zetoillensa essive zetanaan zetanansa zetoinaan zetoinansa translative zetakseen zetaksensa zetoikseen zetoiksensa abessive zetattaan zetattansa zetoittaan zetoittansa instructive — — comitative — zetoineen zetoinensa

Galician

Alternative forms

• ceta

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ζῆτα (zêta).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ˈθeta/ [ˈθe.t̪ɐ]

• IPA^(key): (standard) /ˈθeta/ [ˈθe.t̪ɐ]
• IPA^(key): (seseo) /ˈseta/ [ˈse.t̪ɐ]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eta
• Hyphenation: ze‧ta

Noun

zeta m (plural zetas)

1. The name of the Latin script letter Z/z.

See also

• (Latin-script letter names) letra; a, be, ce, de, e, efe, gue, hache, i, ele, eme, ene, eñe, o, pe, que, erre, ese, te, u, uve, xe, ceta / zeta

Further reading

• “zeta”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2026
• “zeta”, in Dicionário Estraviz de galego (in Galician), 2014–2026

Hawaiian

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

zeta

1. The name of the Latin script letter Z/z.

Icelandic

Alternative forms

• seta

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈsɛːta]
• Rhymes: -ɛːta
• Homophone: seta

Noun

zeta f (genitive singular zetu, nominative plural zetur)

1. The name of the Latin script letter Z/z.
2. zeta (Greek letter)

Declension

Declension of zeta (feminine)

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	zeta	zetan	zetur	zeturnar
accusative	zetu	zetuna	zetur	zeturnar
dative	zetu	zetunni	zetum	zetunum
genitive	zetu	zetunnar	zeta	zetanna

Italian

Etymology

From the Latin zēta, from Ancient Greek ζῆτα (zêta), from Hebrew זין (zayin).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): ^*/ˈd͡zɛ.ta/
• Rhymes: -ɛta
• Hyphenation: zè‧ta

Noun

zeta m or f (invariable)

1. The name of the Latin script letter Z/z.; zed, zee
2. the name of the Greek script letter Ζ/ζ; zeta

Derived terms

• dalla a alla zeta

See also

• (Latin-script letter names) lettera; a, bi, ci, di, e, effe, gi, acca, i, gei / i lunga, cappa, elle, emme, enne, o, pi, cu, erre, esse, ti, u, vu / vi, doppia vu, ics, ipsilon / i greca, zeta

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈzeː.ta]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈd͡zɛː.ta]

Etymology 1

From the Ancient Greek ζῆτα (zêta).

Noun

zēta n or f (indeclinable)

1. The name of the Greek letter zeta (Ζ, ζ).
2. The name of the letter Z.

Coordinate terms

• (Latin-script letter names) littera; ā, bē, cē, dē, ē, ef, gē, hā / *acca, ī, kā, el, em, en, ō, pē, kū, er, es, tē, ū, ix / īx / ex, ȳ / ī graeca / ȳpsīlon, zēta

Descendants

Descendants

• → Catalan: zeta (learned)
• → English: zeta (learned)
• → French: zêta (learned)
  • → Romanian: zeta
• Old French: zede
  • Middle English: zed, zedde, zede
    • English: zed
      • → Greek: ζεντ (zent)
      • → Hindi: ज़ेड (zeḍ)
      • → Japanese: ゼット (zetto), ゼッド (zeddo)
      • → Korean: 제트 (jeteu)
      • → Malay: zed
      • → Marathi: जेड (jeḍ)
      • → Russian: зэд (zɛd)
      • → Thai: แซด (sɛ̂t)
      • → Welsh: sèd
  • French: zède
• → Galician: zeta (learned)
• → Icelandic: zeta (learned)
• → Spanish: zeta (learned)
• → Swedish: zäta (learned)

Unsorted:

• → Arabic: زِيد (zīd), دْزِيتَا (dzītā)
• → Dutch: zet
• → Faroese: sett, setta
• → Finnish: tseta, tset, zeta, zet
• → German: Zet, Zett
  • → Czech: zet
  • → Russian: зэт (zɛt), цэт (cɛt)
  • → Ukrainian: зет (zet)
• → Hawaiian: zeta
• → Hebrew: זֵד (zed)
• Italian: zeta
• → Malay: zet
• Occitan: izèda
• → Persian: زد (zed)
• → Polish: zet

References

• “zeta”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• "zeta", in Charles du Fresne du Cange, Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• “zeta”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Basil Lanneau Gildersleeve, Latin Grammar (3rd ed., 1895), 1:

  The Latin names for the letters… For Y the sound was used, for Z the Greek name (zēta).

Etymology 2

In third- and fourth-century writings of the Late Latin period, Z often represented word-initial prevocalic di.

Noun

zēta f (genitive zētae); first declension

1. (Late Latin) manuscript variant of diaeta

Declension

First-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	zēta	zētae
genitive	zētae	zētārum
dative	zētae	zētīs
accusative	zētam	zētās
ablative	zētā	zētīs
vocative	zēta	zētae

Lotha Naga

Verb

zeta

1. to look (at something else)

Inflection

Inflection of zeta

Formation	Tense			Imperative
	Present	Past	Future
Simple	zetala	zecho	zev	zeta
Causative	zetokala	zetokcho	zetokvü	zetoka
Perfect	zethaka	zethakcho	zethakvü	—
Abilitative	zekhoka	zekhokcho	zekhokvü	—

Derived terms

• nrüngizeta

Further reading

• Murry, K. R.; Yanthan, J. T.; Patton, Alumo (1978), Anglo-Lotha Vocabulary, Wokha, Nagaland: Kyong Academy, page 85

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈzɛ.ta/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛta
• Syllabification: ze‧ta

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

zeta f (indeclinable)

1. (slang) one zloty

   Synonyms: zet, ziko, zyl

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

zeta f

1. (slang, education) synonym of zasadnicza szkoła zawodowa (“vocational school”)

Declension

Declension of zeta

	singular	plural
nominative	zeta	zety
genitive	zety	zet
dative	zecie	zetom
accusative	zetę	zety
instrumental	zetą	zetami
locative	zecie	zetach
vocative	zeto	zety

Further reading

• zeta at Obserwatorium Językowe Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
• zeta in miejski.pl

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• dzeta (uncommon)

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ζῆτα (zêta).

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈzɛ.tɐ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈzɛ.tɐ/

• Hyphenation: ze‧ta

Noun

zeta m (plural zetas)

1. zeta (name of the Greek letter Ζ, ζ)

Usage notes

Unlike many other Romance and European languages, it is considered grammatically incorrect to call zeta to the Latin letter Z. zeta refers strictly to the Greek letter. The only correct name for the Latin letter is zê.

See also

• zê

Further reading

• “zeta”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “zeta”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French zèta.

Noun

zeta m (plural zeta)

1. zeta

Declension

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	zeta	zetaul	zeta	zetai
genitive-dative	zeta	zetaului	zeta	zetalor
vocative	zetaule		zetalor

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology 1

From the Ancient Greek ζῆτα (zêta).

Noun

zȇta n (Cyrillic spelling зе̑та)

1. zeta; the Greek letter Ζ, ζ

Declension

Declension of zeta

	singular	plural
nominative	zeta	zete
genitive	zete	zeta
dative	zeti	zetama
accusative	zetu	zete
vocative	zeto	zete
locative	zeti	zetama
instrumental	zetom	zetama

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

zeta (Cyrillic spelling зета)

1. genitive/accusative singular of zet

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈθeta/ [ˈθe.t̪a] (Equatorial Guinea, Spain)
• IPA^(key): /ˈseta/ [ˈse.t̪a] (Latin America, Philippines)

  • Audio (Spain):

    (file)

  • Syllabification: ze‧ta
  • Homophone: (Latin America) seta
• IPA^(key): /ˈtseta/ [ˈt̪se.t̪a]
• Rhymes: -eta

Etymology 1

From Old Spanish ceda, from Latin zēta or its etymon, Ancient Greek ζῆτα (zêta).

Noun

zeta f (plural zetas)

1. the letter Z

   Synonym: zeda

2. zeta; the Greek letter Ζ, ζ

   Synonyms: dseda, dseta

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Ancient Greek θῆτα (thêta).

Noun

zeta f (plural zetas)

1. theta; the Greek letter Θ, θ

   Synonyms: theta, tita

Further reading

• “zeta”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Tagalog

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish zeta, the Spanish name of the letter Z / z, from Latin zēta or Ancient Greek ζῆτα (zêta).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈzeta/ [ˈzɛː.t̪ɐ]
  • IPA^(key): (with nativization) /ˈseta/ [ˈsɛː.t̪ɐ]
• Rhymes: -eta
• Syllabification: ze‧ta

Noun

zeta (Baybayin spelling ᜐᜒᜆ) (historical)

1. the name of the Latin script letter Z/z, in the Abecedario

   Synonym: (in the Filipino alphabet) zi