Present study focuses the synthesis and characterization of undoped and zinc doped nickel oxide nanoparticles. Prepared nanopowders have been characterized by means of x-ray diffraction method, high-resolution scanning electron microscope, ultraviolet visible spectrometer, photoluminescence spectrometer, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, impedance meter, and thermal gravimetric analyzer. X - ray diffraction analysis confirmed the average crystalline size of the nanopowder is less than 20 nm. Ultraviolet-visible spectrometer recorded the absorption peaks between 336 - 346 nm, corresponding to the energy gap of 3.70 – 3.58 eV. Photoluminescence spectrometer showed the near band edge emission. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed the formation of the nickel oxide and the zinc dopant. The high-resolution scanning electron microscope image depicts that the particles are uniform in size and they are in severe agglomeration. The dielectric studies established the decrease in dielectric losses with increasing the temperature as well as frequency. Thermo gravimetric study shows that the prepared samples have good stability.