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What word is z silent in?

Published in Silent Letters 2 mins read

The letter 'z' is notably silent in certain words borrowed into English, primarily from French. While not a common occurrence, the most prominent examples include laissez-faire and rendezvous.

Words with a Silent 'Z'

A silent 'z' is quite uncommon in English, primarily occurring in words adopted directly from French. In these instances, the 'z' often serves a grammatical or historical purpose in the original language but is not pronounced in English.

Key Examples of Silent 'Z'

Here are some notable words where the letter 'z' remains unpronounced:

Word Pronunciation Note Example Sentence
Laissez-faire The 'z' is silent, often pronounced as "less-ay-fair". His approach to management was largely laissez-faire, allowing employees great autonomy.
Rendezvous The 'z' is silent, pronounced "ron-dey-voo". Let's meet at the bridge for our rendezvous later this evening.

Why Some 'Z's Are Silent

The phenomenon of a silent 'z' in English is almost exclusively found in loanwords, particularly from French. In French, 'z' at the end of a word can sometimes indicate a plural form or be part of a specific spelling pattern where it is not pronounced. When these words were incorporated into English, their original spelling was often retained, but the pronunciation adapted to English phonetic rules, leading to the 'z' becoming silent. This is a common pattern for many English words of French origin, where certain final consonants or letter combinations are not pronounced.