How to pronounce zest
Say it like ZEST. Zest is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce zest. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ZEST
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Zest pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ZESTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of zest
American and British speakers say zest in essentially the same way: /zɛst/ in the US and /zɛst/ in the UK.
British respelling: ZEST.
What does zest mean?
- The outer skin of a citrus fruit, used as a flavoring or garnish.“The orange zest gives the strong flavor in this dish.”
- General vibrance of flavor.“I add zest to the meat by rubbing it with a spice mixture before grilling.”
- Enthusiasm; keen enjoyment; exciting and interesting; relish or gusto; a state of being zesty.“Auntie Mame had a real zest for life.”
- To scrape the zest from a fruit.
- To make more zesty.
Where does zest come from?
Borrowed from French zeste.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with zest
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of zest.
Questions about saying zest
How do you pronounce zest?
Say ZEST. The American pronunciation is /zɛst/. In British English it is /zɛst/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in zest?
Zest is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: ZEST.
Do Americans and Brits say zest the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /zɛst/ and the British form is /zɛst/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.