77 Science Words That Start With Z – Vocabulary by Category

Are you looking for science words that start with Z? Whether you’re a student, teacher, or just curious, this list of 77 science words that start with Z is perfect for expanding your vocabulary. Explore interesting terms from biology, chemistry, physics, and more—all starting with the letter Z!

Biology: Science Words That Start With Z

Grade Level	Word	Definition
Elementary	Zoo	A place where animals are kept for public viewing
Elementary	Zebra	A striped African wild animal
Elementary	Zygote	The cell formed when two gametes unite
Middle	Zoology	The scientific study of animals
Middle	Zooplankton	Tiny floating animals in water
Middle	Zygospore	A spore formed by the union of two gametes
Middle	Zooxanthellae	Algae living in coral tissue
High	Zymogen	An inactive enzyme precursor
High	Zymology	The study of fermentation
High	Zygomycete	A type of fungus in the phylum Zygomycota
College	Zoonosis	Disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans
College	Zygomatic	Relating to the cheekbone
College	Zona Pellucida	Glycoprotein layer surrounding the plasma membrane of mammalian eggs
College	Zoogeography	Study of the geographic distribution of animals
College	Zoopharmacognosy	Study of self-medication by animals

Chemistry: Science Words That Start With Z

Grade Level	Word	Definition
Elementary	Zinc	A metallic chemical element (Zn)
Elementary	Zirconium	A transition metal element (Zr)
Middle	Zinc oxide	An inorganic compound used as a pigment and sunscreen
Middle	Zeolite	Microporous minerals used as commercial adsorbents
Middle	Zwitterion	Molecule with both positive and negative charges
High	Zircon	A silicate mineral, source of zirconium
High	Zero order reaction	A reaction whose rate is independent of reactant concentration
High	Zeeman effect	Splitting of spectral lines in a magnetic field
College	Zymase	An enzyme complex involved in fermentation
College	Zeolitic water	Water molecules in zeolite structures
College	Ziegler–Natta catalyst	Catalyst used to polymerize alkenes
College	Zirconocene	An organometallic compound
College	Zincate	An anion containing zinc

| Related: 75 Science Words That Start With X by Grade level

Physics: Terms That Start With Z

Grade Level	Word	Definition
Elementary	Zero	The number zero; absence of value or quantity
Elementary	Zone	An area or region with distinct features
Middle	Zenith	The point in the sky directly above an observer
Middle	Zero gravity	Condition in which there is no apparent force of gravity
Middle	Zero point energy	Lowest possible energy a quantum system may have
High	Z-axis	The third axis in a three-dimensional coordinate system
High	Zeptosecond	One sextillionth of a second
High	Zeeman splitting	Splitting of a spectral line into several components in the presence of a static magnetic field
College	Zener diode	Type of diode allowing current to flow in the reverse direction when a specific voltage is reached
College	Zettabyte	Unit of information equal to 10^21 bytes
College	Zeeman effect	Effect of magnetic field on atomic energy levels
College	Zero-point fluctuation	Quantum fluctuations of the vacuum

Earth Science: Science Words That Start With Z

Grade Level	Word	Definition
Elementary	Zephyr	A gentle, mild breeze
Elementary	Zone	A defined region, such as a climate or time zone
Middle	Zircon	A mineral found in the Earth’s crust
Middle	Zoogeography	Study of the distribution of animals geographically
Middle	Zonal wind	Winds that move along latitude lines
High	Zeolite	Mineral used as a commercial absorbent and catalyst
High	Zygomorphic	Having bilateral symmetry, especially in plants
High	Zinc blende	Mineral form of zinc sulfide (sphalerite)
College	Zonal flow	Large-scale atmospheric flow along latitudes
College	Zeugen	Type of rock formation shaped by wind erosion
College	Zero-age main sequence	Stage in stellar evolution
College	Zirconium silicate	Mineral used for dating rocks

| Related: 60 Science Words that Start With Q

Astronomy: Words That Start With Z In Science

Grade Level	Word	Definition
Elementary	Zodiac	Band of the sky through which the sun, moon, and planets move
Elementary	Zenith	Point in the sky directly overhead
Middle	Zenith distance	Angle between an object in the sky and the zenith
Middle	Zodiacal light	Faint glow along the ecliptic after sunset
Middle	Zero magnitude	Reference point for star brightness
High	Zero-velocity surface	Boundary where a galaxy’s gravitational influence ends
High	Zwicky cluster	Galaxy cluster catalogued by Fritz Zwicky
High	Zygotic period	Early development period of a star or planet
College	Zodiacal cloud	Cloud of cosmic dust in the solar system
College	Zodiacal band	Band of sky where zodiacal light is visible
College	Zero-age main sequence	Stage in stellar evolution
College	Zwicky’s theorem	Theory in astrophysics related to dark matter

Miscellaneous: Science Words That Start With Z

Grade Level	Word	Definition
Elementary	Zipper	Simple machine, fastener with interlocking teeth
Elementary	Zincite	Mineral form of zinc oxide
Elementary	Zoom	To move quickly or magnify an image
Middle	Zygosity	Degree of similarity between alleles for a gene
Middle	Zoonotic	Disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans
Middle	Zeatin	Plant hormone promoting cell division
High	Zeaxanthin	Yellow pigment in plants and some algae
High	Zwitterionic	Molecule with both positive and negative charges
High	Zymurgy	Study or practice of fermentation in brewing, winemaking, or distilling
College	Zero sum	Situation in game theory where one participant’s gain is another’s loss
College	Zircaloy	Alloy used in nuclear reactors
College	Zymotechnics	The technology of fermentation
College	Zymogen granule	Storage granule in cells containing inactive enzymes

Exploring science words that start with Z is a fun way to boost your science vocabulary across different subjects and grade levels. Keep this list handy as you learn and discover even more fascinating science terms!