Zöllner, n.

zollner
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zollner_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
First published 1986; not fully revised

# Zöllnernoun

## Earlier version

- Zöllner in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the noun Zöllner mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun Zöllner. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.

#### Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

### How is the noun Zöllner pronounced?

#### British English

/ˈtsœlnə/
/ˈzœlnə/

### Where does the noun Zöllner come from?

Earliest known use

1890s

The earliest known use of the noun Zöllner is in the 1890s.

OED's earliest evidence for Zöllner is from 1890, in the writing of William James, philosopher and psychologist.

From a proper name.

Etymons: proper name Zöllner.

### Nearby entries

1. zoist, n. 1843–
2. zoistic, adj. 1849–
3. zoite, n. 1963–
4. -zoite, comb. form
5. zol, n. 1946–
6. Zolaesque, adj. 1886–
7. Zolaism, n. 1882–
8. Zolaist, n. 1886–
9. Zolaize, v. 1886–
10. Zollinger–Ellison syndrome, n. 1956–
11. Zöllner, n.1890–
12. zollverein, n. 1843–
13. zolotnik, n. 1783–
14. zombie, n. 1788–
15. zombie apocalypse, n. 1982–
16. zombied, adj. 1972–
17. zombie-esque, adj. 1946–
18. zombie-like, adj. & adv. 1932–
19. zombie worm, n. 2005–
20. zombification, n. 1968–
21. zombified, adj. 1965–

## Etymology

### Summary

From a proper name.
Etymon: proper name Zöllner.
< the name of the German astronomer and physicist, Johann Karl Friedrich Zöllner (1834–82).

## Meaning & use

Psychology.

1. 1890–
   Used attributively and in the possessive to designate the optical illusion noted by Zöllner of parallel lines which, when marked with short diagonal lines, appear to converge. Now usually as Zöllner illusion.
   1. 1890

      > In what is known as Zöllner's pattern.., the long parallels tip towards each other the moment we draw the short slanting lines over them.

      W. James, Principles of Psychology vol. II. xx. 232
   2. 1911

      > Zoellner's Figure showing an illusion of direction.

      Encyclopædia Britannica vol. XXVIII. 142/1 (caption)
   3. 1922

      > In the Zöllner figure, the long lines, really parallel, seem to converge.

      K. Dunlap, Elements of Scientific Psychology xiii. 295
   4. 1955

      > Zoellner illusion. The four horizontal lines are parallel.

      H. E. Garrett, General Psychology v. 179 (caption)
   5. 1971

      > The Zöllner and Hering illusions are examples of phenomena in which the overall pattern dominates the geometry and leads to the perceptual distortion of straight lines into curved lines.

      Journal of General Psychology vol. 84 164
   6. 1980

      > The Zöllner illusion, which exhibits assimilation at extremely small angles and contrast at larger angles.

      Scientific American (U.K. edition) January 91/1
   psychology
   1. Zöllner 1890–
      Used attributively and in the possessive to designate the optical illusion noted by Zöllner of parallel lines which, when marked with short diagonal…
   2. Schröder 1898–
      Used attributively and in the possessive to designate an optical illusion in the form of a line drawing of a staircase drawn without convergence of…
   3. Pulfrich 1925–
      attributive and in the genitive. Used with reference to an optical illusion in which a pendulum appears to describe ellipses instead of a linear arc…
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈtsœlnə/
/ˈzœlnə/

####

##### Consonants

- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- ɬrhingyll
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing

Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence /ˈpɛtl/ but /ˈpɛtl̩i/.

##### Vowels

- iːfleece
- ihappy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- atrap, bath
- ɑːstart, palm, bath
- ɒlot
- ɔːthought, force
- ʌstrut
- ʊfoot
- uːgoose
- əletter
- əːnurse
- ɪənear
- ɛːsquare
- ʊəcure
- eɪface
- ʌɪpride
- aʊmouth
- əʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ãgratin
- ɒ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)

##### Other symbols

- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.

View the pronunciation model here.

## Forms

### Variant forms

Also Zoellner.

Zöllner, n. was first published in 1986; not fully revised.

Zöllner, n. was last modified in December 2024.