Zeta

Zeta (uppercase Ζ, lowercase ζ; Greek: ζήτα, classical [d͡zɛ̂:ta] or [zdɛ̂:ta] zḗta, Modern Greek: [ˈzita] zíta) is the sixth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 7. It was derived from the Phoenician letter zayin . Letters that arose from zeta include the Roman Z and Cyrillic З.

Name

Unlike the other Greek letters, this letter did not take its name from the Phoenician letter from which it was derived; it was given a new name on the pattern of beta, eta and theta.

The word zeta is the ancestor of zed (UK) and zee (US), the names of the Latin letter Z in English. However, Swedish and many Romanic languages (such as Italian and Spanish), do not distinguish between the Greek and Roman forms of the letter; "zeta" is used to refer to the Roman letter Z as well as the Greek letter.

Uses

Letter

The letter ζ represents the voiced alveolar fricative /z/ in Modern Greek.

The sound represented by zeta in Classical Greek is disputed. See Ancient Greek phonology and Pronunciation of Ancient Greek in teaching.

Tropical Storm Zeta

Tropical Storm Zeta was a late-developing tropical storm over the central Atlantic that formed after the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season had officially ended (on November 30) and continued into January 2006. Becoming a tropical depression at approximately midnight on December 30 (UTC), it became the record-breaking thirtieth tropical cyclone of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season and after intensifying into Tropical Storm Zeta six hours later, it become the season's twenty-seventh named storm. Zeta was one of only two Atlantic tropical cyclones to span two calendar years (the other being Hurricane Alice in 1954–55).

Zeta originated from an area of low pressure on December 29, which previously developed within an upper-level trough. After becoming a tropical storm, the National Hurricane Center continually predicted it would weaken rapidly. Like the previous tropical cyclone, Hurricane Epsilon, Zeta defied these predictions. The storm reached its peak strength on January 2, 2006 before finally dissipating on January 6. As Zeta never approached land there was no impact from the storm other than minor shipping problems. Several ships encountered the storm, and several crews in the 2005 Atlantic Rowing Race were affected by rough seas and high winds.

Principality of Zeta

The Principality of Zeta was a medieval state ruled by the families of Balšić, Lazarević, Branković and Crnojević in succession from the second half of the 14th century until the Ottoman vassalage in 1514. The Serbian crown land of Zeta had become virtually independent during the fall of the Serbian Empire, when Balša and his sons wrestled the region by eliminating Žarko in Lower Zeta (1360), and then Đuraš Ilijić in Upper Zeta (1362).

Zeta under the Balšići

Zeta under the Lazarević

Zeta under the Branković

Zeta under the Crnojevići