Revision of Prior Period Financial Statements - Revisions to the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings and Comprehensive (Loss) Income (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of products sold, excluding intangible asset amortization	$ 552.1	$ 294.3	$ 284.9	$ 295.9	$ 579.2	$ 1,131.3	$ 929.0
Research and development	83.3	51.3	48.3	45.9	99.6	182.9	141.1
Selling, general and administrative	692.3	444.2	424.1	422.8	868.3	1,560.6	1,311.5
Special items	195.9	469.2	86.8	65.9	556.0	751.9	164.3
Operating expenses	1,646.2	1,299.7	864.5	850.8	2,164.2	3,810.4	2,639.4
Other (expense), net		(26.3)	(22.6)		(48.9)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	31.8	(238.6)	226.8	229.8	(11.8)	20.0	746.9
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	9.6	(64.8)	55.7	56.9	(9.1)	0.5	181.4
Net earnings (loss)	22.2	(173.8)	171.1	172.9	(2.7)	19.5	565.5
Net Earnings (Loss) of Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.	$ 22.2	$ (173.6)	$ 171.4	$ 173.1	$ (2.2)	$ 20.0	$ 566.5
Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding-Diluted	205.7			171.7	171.5	184.7	171.5
Earnings (Loss) Per Common Share-Basic	$ 0.11	$ (1.00)	$ 1.01	$ 1.02	$ (0.01)	$ 0.11	$ 3.36
Earnings (Loss) Per Common Share-Diluted	$ 0.11	$ (1.00)	$ 0.99	$ 1.01	$ (0.01)	$ 0.11	$ 3.30
Foreign currency cumulative translation adjustments	$ (137.0)	$ 10.3	$ (149.9)	$ (132.4)	$ (139.6)	$ (276.6)	$ (128.8)
Total other comprehensive loss	(150.1)	(26.5)	(114.6)	(85.4)	(141.1)	(291.2)	(96.4)
Comprehensive Income (Loss)	(127.9)	(200.3)	56.5	87.5	(143.8)	(271.7)	469.1
Comprehensive Income (Loss) attributable to Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.	$ (127.8)	(200.1)	56.3	87.6	(143.8)	$ (271.6)	470.0
As Reported [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of products sold, excluding intangible asset amortization		290.5	278.7	296.7	569.2		932.0
Research and development		51.4	48.4	46.0	99.8		141.4
Selling, general and administrative		445.1	425.0	423.8	870.1		1,304.4
Special items		469.4	87.0	66.4	556.4		165.3
Operating expenses		1,297.1	859.5	853.2	2,156.6		2,636.6
Other (expense), net		(4.0)	(22.6)		(26.6)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes		(213.7)	231.8	227.4	18.1		749.7
Provision (benefit) for income taxes		(55.5)	55.0	62.1	(0.5)		187.2
Net earnings (loss)		(158.2)	176.8	165.3	18.6		562.5
Net Earnings (Loss) of Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.		$ (158.0)	$ 177.1	$ 165.5	$ 19.1		$ 563.5
Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding-Diluted					174.2
Earnings (Loss) Per Common Share-Basic		$ (0.91)	$ 1.04	$ 0.98	$ 0.11		$ 3.34
Earnings (Loss) Per Common Share-Diluted		$ (0.91)	$ 1.02	$ 0.96	$ 0.11		$ 3.29
Foreign currency cumulative translation adjustments		$ 27.8	$ (152.7)	$ (134.6)	$ (124.9)		$ (131.0)
Total other comprehensive loss		(9.0)	(117.4)	(87.6)	(126.4)		(98.6)
Comprehensive Income (Loss)		(167.2)	59.4	77.7	(107.8)		463.9
Comprehensive Income (Loss) attributable to Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.		(167.0)	59.2	77.8	(107.8)		464.8
Adjustment [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of products sold, excluding intangible asset amortization		3.8	6.2	(0.8)	10.0		(3.0)
Research and development		(0.1)	(0.1)	(0.1)	(0.2)		(0.3)
Selling, general and administrative		(0.9)	(0.9)	(1.0)	(1.8)		7.1
Special items		(0.2)	(0.2)	(0.5)	(0.4)		(1.0)
Operating expenses		2.6	5.0	(2.4)	7.6		2.8
Other (expense), net		(22.3)			(22.3)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes		(24.9)	(5.0)	2.4	(29.9)		(2.8)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes		(9.3)	0.7	(5.2)	(8.6)		(5.8)
Net earnings (loss)		(15.6)	(5.7)	7.6	(21.3)		3.0
Net Earnings (Loss) of Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.		$ (15.6)	$ (5.7)	$ 7.6	$ (21.3)		$ 3.0
Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding-Diluted					(2.7)
Earnings (Loss) Per Common Share-Basic		$ (0.09)	$ (0.03)	$ 0.04	$ (0.12)		$ 0.02
Earnings (Loss) Per Common Share-Diluted		$ (0.09)	$ (0.03)	$ 0.05	$ (0.12)		$ 0.01
Foreign currency cumulative translation adjustments		$ (17.5)	$ 2.8	$ 2.2	$ (14.7)		$ 2.2
Total other comprehensive loss		(17.5)	2.8	2.2	(14.7)		2.2
Comprehensive Income (Loss)		(33.1)	(2.9)	9.8	(36.0)		5.2
Comprehensive Income (Loss) attributable to Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.		$ (33.1)	$ (2.9)	$ 9.8	$ (36.0)		$ 5.2