How to spell zest

hear itzest/zɛst/nounRules and real life

What it means: The outer peel of a citrus fruit.

In a sentence: The orange had a zest that made it smell really nice.

The part people get wrong

Often misspelled as zesth or zast.

Same family: zesty, zestful, zestfully, zestiness, zestless. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.

Where it comes from: “Zest” comes from French *zeste*, first referring to the outer rind of citrus fruits used for flavor. Over time, English speakers also began using it metaphorically to mean lively enjoyment or enthusiasm, like adding flavor to life.

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You will hear the word and a sentence. Type it and press Enter. Then four more words from the same level, so you know where you stand.

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