Zendic, n. & adj.

zendic
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zendic_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2018

# Zendicnoun & adjective

## Factsheet

### What does the word Zendic mean?

There are two meanings listed in OED's entry for the word Zendic, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

### How common is the word Zendic?

Fewer than 0.01occurrences per million words in modern written English

1790 | 0.0034
1800 | 0.004
1810 | 0.0045
1820 | 0.0045
1830 | 0.0074
1840 | 0.01
1850 | 0.014
1860 | 0.014
1870 | 0.013
1880 | 0.013
1890 | 0.013
1900 | 0.0088
1910 | 0.006
1920 | 0.0022
1930 | 0.0018
1940 | 0.0017
1950 | 0.0009
1960 | 0.0006
1970 | 0.0007
1980 | 0.0008
1990 | 0.0008
2000 | 0.0008
2010 | 0.0006

### How is the word Zendic pronounced?

#### British English

/ˈzɛndɪk/
ZEN-dick

#### U.S. English

/ˈzɛndɪk/
ZEN-dick

### Where does the word Zendic come from?

Earliest known use

late 1700s

The earliest known use of the word Zendic is in the late 1700s.

OED's earliest evidence for Zendic is from 1771, in Monthly Review.

Zendic is formed within English, by derivation.

Etymons: Zend n., ‑ic suffix.

### Nearby entries

1. Zen, v. 1968–
2. zenana, n. & adj. 1761–
3. zenana cloth, n. 1885–
4. Zen Buddhist, adj. & n. 1917–
5. Zend, n. & adj. 1700–
6. zendaletto, n. 1789–
7. Zend-Avesta, n. 1630–
8. Zend-Avestaic, adj. 1816
9. Zend-Avestan, adj. & n. 1871–
10. Zend-Avestic, adj. 1864–
11. Zendic, n. & adj.1771–
12. Zendician, n. a1833–66
13. Zendicism, n. 1697–
14. Zendish, adj. & n. 1802–1921
15. Zendist, n. 1877–1907
16. zendo, n. 1914–
17. Zener, n.¹ 1934–
18. Zener, n.² 1949–
19. Zengakuren, n. 1950–
20. Zen garden, n. 1937–
21. zenick, n. 1801–1900

## Etymology

### Summary

Formed within English, by derivation.
Etymons: Zend n., ‑ic suffix.
< Zend n. + ‑ic suffix.

With use as adjective compare earlier Zend adj.…
< Zend n. + ‑ic suffix.

With use as adjective compare earlier Zend adj.

### Notes

With use as adjective compare also post-classical Latin Zendicus (1754 or earlier), Zundicus (in quot. 1700 at Zend n. A.1a, apparently reflecting an English spelling), and also French zendique (1808 or earlier), all used with reference to the Zend-Avesta or the Avestan language.

## Meaning & use

1. † noun
   1. 1771–1928
      The Avestan language; = Avestan n. Cf. Zend n. A.2 Obsolete.
      1. 1771

         > Translated from the Zendic, with remarks.

         Monthly Review vol. 43 App. 561
      2. 1829

         > The inscriptions..contain the names of Xerxes and Darius with the title king in Zendic.

         Philosophical Magazine 2nd Series vol. 5 328
      3. 1872

         > The terminational -ôs in Sanscrit, which has disappeared in Zendic and Lithuanian.

         A. Lindsay, Etruscan Inscriptions v. 112
      4. 1916

         > The great book of the old Persians, the Avesta, which was written in Zendic.

         M. Grant, Passing of Great Race xiv. 221
      5. 1928

         > The tongue of the Persians, Old Persian, is closely related to Zendic, an Iranian language, and to the Sanscrit of Hindustan.

         S. B. Kahn, Case of Kurdistan against Turkey 21
      1. Zend 1771–
         The ancient Iranian language in which the Avesta (Avesta, n.) is written; = Avestan, n.
      2. Zendic 1771–1928
         The Avestan language; = Avestan, n. Cf. Zend, n. A.2 Obsolete.
      3. Avesta 1774–
         The sacred scripture of Zoroastrianism; spec. the ancient texts enshrining the law, liturgy, and belief system of Zoroastrianism, written in the…
      4. Zendish 1802–1921
         a. adj.Of or relating to the Avestan language; = Avestan, adj. b. n.the ancient Iranian language in which the Avesta is written; = Avestan, n.
      5. Avestan 1856–
         The language in which the Avesta (Avesta, n.) is written; an ancient Iranian language closely related to Vedic Sanskrit.
      6. Avestic 1860–
         The ancient Iranian language in which the Avesta is written; = Avestan, n.
      7. Gathic 1902–
         a. adj. Of or pertaining to the gathas or the language in which they are written; b. n. the language itself, being the more archaic form of the…
      8. Zend-Avestan 1920–
         a. adj. Of or relating to the Zend-Avesta, or the ancient Iranian language in which the Avesta is written; b. n. the language in which the Avesta…
      View in Historical Thesaurus
2. adjective
   1. 1791–
      Of or relating to the Avestan language or the Zend-Avesta; designating this language. Also: of or relating to Zoroastrianism; Zoroastrian. Now rare. Cf. Zend n.
      1. 1791

         > These books, written partly in the Zendic or sacred, and partly in the vulgar Persian language.

         W. Enfield, Brucker's History of Philosophy vol. I. i. iv. 42
      2. 1794

         > There are..in the Zendic writings extravagant praises of fire and water expressed in the mythologic style of the East.

         Memoirs Sciences & Arts vol. 2 30
      3. 1817

         > The Appendix..explains the Zend or Zundic words that occur in the body of the work.

         T. Castley, Antiquarian Speculations 110
      4. 1842

         > The Zendic and Pehlvi dialects of Persia.

         W. C. Taylor, Student's Manual of Ancient History (ed. 3) App. ii. 581
      5. 1848

         > The notion of the ‘Guardian Angels or Daemons’ of a country is a peculiarly Zendic or Persian conception.

         Examiner 15 January 37/3
      6. 1889

         > The Zendic faith and the Magian priests flourished.

         Monthly Packet 1 September 255
      7. 1910

         > He has in active progress further important contributions to our knowledge of Zendic literature.

         Times of India 12 November 7/4
      8. 1969

         > Firdausi..undertook to organize and record the Zendic tradition, which extended back from historic times into the purely mythical.

         G. de Santillana & H. von Dechend, Hamlet's Mill iii. 36
      1. Zend 1762–
         Of or relating to the Avestan language or to the Zend-Avesta; of or relating to Zoroastrianism; Zoroastrian. Also: designating the Avestan language…
      2. Zendic 1791–
         Of or relating to the Avestan language or the Zend-Avesta; designating this language. Also: of or relating to Zoroastrianism; Zoroastrian. Now rare…
      3. Avestan 1856–
         Of or relating to the Avesta (Avesta, n.) or to the ancient Iranian language in which it is written (cf. Avestan, n.).
      4. Avestic 1865–
         Of or relating to the Avesta or the ancient Iranian language in which it is written; = Avestan, adj. Cf. Zend-Avestic, adj.
      5. Avestaic 1879–
         Of or relating to the Avesta or the ancient Iranian language in which it is written; = Avestan, adj.
      6. Gathic 1902–
         a. adj. Of or pertaining to the gathas or the language in which they are written; b. n. the language itself, being the more archaic form of the…
      View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈzɛndɪk/
ZEN-dick

### U.S. English

/ˈzɛndɪk/
ZEN-dick

####

##### 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.

####

##### Consonants

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

* /d/ also represents a 'tapped' /t/ as in

Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence /ˈpɛd(ə)l/ but /ˈpɛdl̩i/.

##### Vowels

- ifleece, happy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- ætrap, bath
- ɑlot, palm, cloth, thought
- ɑrstart
- ɔcloth, thought
- ɔrnorth, force
- ʊfoot
- ugoose
- əstrut, comma
- ərnurse, letter
- ɪ(ə)rnear
- ɛ(ə)rsquare
- ʊ(ə)rcure
- eɪface
- aɪpride
- aʊmouth
- oʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ɑ̃gratin
- æ̃salon
- 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.

####

Simple text respell breaks words into syllables, separated by a hyphen. The syllable which carries the primary stress is written in capital letters. This key covers both British and U.S. English Simple Text Respell.

##### Consonants

b, d, f, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w and z have their standard English values

- gguy
- jjay
- yyore
- chchore
- khloch
- shshore
- ththaw
- dhthee
- zhbeige

##### Vowels

- atrap
- ahpalm
- airsquare
- arstart
- arrcarry (British only)
- awthought
- ayface
- a(ng)gratin
- edress
- eefleece
- eerdeer
- errmerry
- ikit
- ighpride
- irrmirror
- olot (British only)
- ohgoat
- oogoose
- oorcure
- orforce
- orrsorry (British only)
- owmouth
- oyvoice
- o(ng)salon
- ustrut
- uhletter
- urnurse
- urrhurry
- uufoot

## Forms

### Variant forms

1. 1700s–
   Zendic
2. 1800s
   Zandic, Zundic

## Frequency

Zendic typically occurs fewer than 0.01 times per million words in modern written English.

Zendic is in frequency band 1, which contains words occurring fewer than 0.001 times per million words in modern written English. More about OED's frequency bands

Frequency data is computed programmatically, and should be regarded as an estimate.

### Frequency of Zendic, n. & adj., 1790–2010

* Occurrences per million words in written English

Historical frequency series are derived from Google Books Ngrams (version 2), a data set based on the Google Books corpus of several million books printed in English between 1500 and 2010.

The overall frequency for a given word is calculated by summing frequencies for the main form of the word, any plural or inflected forms, and any major spelling variations.

For sets of homographs (distinct entries that share the same word-form, e.g. mole, n.¹, mole, n.², mole, n.³, etc.), we have estimated the frequency of each homograph entry as a fraction of the total Ngrams frequency for the word-form. This may result in inaccuracies.

Smoothing has been applied to series for lower-frequency words, using a moving-average algorithm. This reduces short-term fluctuations, which may be produced by variability in the content of the Google Books corpus.

Decade | Frequency per million words
--- | ---
1790 | 0.0034
1800 | 0.004
1810 | 0.0045
1820 | 0.0045
1830 | 0.0074
1840 | 0.01
1850 | 0.014
1860 | 0.014
1870 | 0.013
1880 | 0.013
1890 | 0.013
1900 | 0.0088
1910 | 0.006
1920 | 0.0022
1930 | 0.0018
1940 | 0.0017
1950 | 0.0009
1960 | 0.0006
1970 | 0.0007
1980 | 0.0008
1990 | 0.0008
2000 | 0.0008
2010 | 0.0006

Originally published as part of the entry for Zend, n. & adj.

Zendic, n. & adj. was revised in June 2018.

Zendic, n. & adj. was last modified in July 2023.