1. An area or region distinguished from adjacent parts by a distinctive feature or characteristic
   "The city was divided into different parking zones"
    
2. A locally circumscribed place characterized by some distinctive features
   "The city established a pedestrian zone in the downtown area"
    
3. Any of the regions of the surface of the Earth loosely divided according to latitude or longitude
   "The temperate geographical zone experiences four distinct seasons";
   - geographical zone
    
4. (anatomy) any encircling or beltlike structure
   "The zone pellucida surrounds the mammalian oocyte";
   - zona
    
5. (religion) a belt worn by priests in the Greek Orthodox church
   "The zone denotes the priest's readiness to serve the Lord and is also a sign that he is bound to Christ"

1. Separate or apportion into sections
   "zone a room off";
   - partition
    
2. Regulate housing in; of certain areas of towns
   "The city council zoned the downtown area for commercial use only";
   - district
    
3. [N. Amer, informal] Doze off or lose concentration
   "He started to zone out during the long lecture";
   - zone out [N. Amer, informal]

Derived forms: zoning, zones, zoned

Type of: anatomical structure, bodily structure, body structure, complex body part, divide, geographic area, geographic region, geographical area, geographical region, govern, order, part, place, region, regularise [Brit], regularize, regulate, separate, spot, structure, topographic point

Encyclopedia: Zone, Mary