zythumnoun
Factsheet
What does the noun zythum mean?
There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zythum. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.
How common is the noun zythum?
| 1790 | 0.011 |
| 1800 | 0.01 |
| 1810 | 0.0095 |
| 1820 | 0.0087 |
| 1830 | 0.0037 |
| 1840 | 0.0034 |
| 1850 | 0.0031 |
| 1860 | 0.003 |
| 1870 | 0.0022 |
| 1880 | 0.0014 |
| 1890 | 0.0008 |
| 1900 | 0.0009 |
| 1910 | 0.0008 |
| 1920 | 0.0006 |
| 1930 | 0.0005 |
| 1940 | 0.0006 |
| 1950 | 0.0006 |
| 1960 | 0.0006 |
| 1970 | 0.0004 |
| 1980 | 0.0004 |
| 1990 | 0.0004 |
| 2000 | 0.0004 |
| 2010 | 0.0003 |
How is the noun zythum pronounced?
British English
U.S. English
Where does the noun zythum come from?
Earliest known use
early 1600s
The earliest known use of the noun zythum is in the early 1600s.
OED's earliest evidence for zythum is from 1608, in the writing of Edward Topsell, Church of England clergyman and author.
zythum is a borrowing from Latin.
Etymons: Latin zȳthum.
Nearby entries
- zymosimeter, n.1704–
- zymosis, n.1842–
- zymotechnic, adj.1896–
- zymotechnical, adj.1900–
- zymotechnologist, n.1896–
- zymotechny, n.1860–
- zymotic, adj. & n.1842–
- zymotoxic, adj.1902–
- zymurgy, n.1868–
- Zyrian, n. & adj.1886–
- zythum, n.1608–
- Zyzzyva, n.1922–
- 0800 number, n.1988–
- 0898 number, n.1988–
- 101, adj.1929–
- 1471, n.1994–
- 17-hydroxycorticosteroid, n.1951–
- 1984, n.1951–
- 1984-ish, adj.1959–
- 1992, n.1988–
- 24-7, adv.1985–
Etymology
Summary
Meaning & use
- 1608–In ancient Egypt: a kind of malt beer.Much of the word's continuing use is due to its status as the last word listed in several dictionaries (cf. quots. 1854, 1985).
- 1608
For the better auoydance & purging out of the digested venome..giue the party Garlicke beaten with Zythum, vntill he vomit.
E. Topsell, Historie of Serpents 62 - 1658
In Hiberia toward the west and in Britany; whence Pliny, of Corn drink is made: Beer in Egypt, called Zythum, in Spain Caelia and Ceria, Beer in France and other Provinces.
translation of G. della Porta, Natural Magick iv.xxi.149 - 1733
This Kind of Drink will keep longer than the Zythum of the Ancients, which being made of nothing but Wheat boil'd in Water, soon turn'd soure, because they put no Hops into it.
Art of Nursing (ed. 2) xii. 35 - 1791
The ancients had their Zythum, or drink made from Barley; but it was reckoned very unwholesome.
C. Dunster in J. Philips, Cider (new edition) i. 58 - 1854
Zythum, a beverage: a liquor made from malt and wheat.
Webster's American Dictionary English Language 1281/3 - 1868
What will we drink? Median, or, rather, Babylonian beer, or Egyptian zythum, or domestic cider?
Ladies' Repository November 340 - 1936
An inebriating beverage named Zythum, evidently a beer of some kind, known to be made from barley, is also mentioned by Columella.
Science Monthly April 364 - 1985
You want to know the last time the Guardian..mentioned anything from aardvarks to zythum..then just a couple of seconds there it is: up on your screen.
Guardian (Nexis) 18 July - 2001
For the thousands of years that the Egyptians were building pyramids they were brewing zythum to quench their thirsts, to satisfy their gods, nourish their appetites and to help them relax.
Journal (Newcastle) (Nexis) 8 June 28
- spruce beerc1500–1690Beer from Prussia. Obsolete.
- March beer1535–1825A strong beer with good keeping qualities, brewed in the spring.
- Lubecks beer1608–39A strong beer brewed at Lubeck.
- zythum1608–In ancient Egypt: a kind of malt beer.
- ship-beer1615–A type of weak beer made to be carried and consumed on long journeys by ship.
- household beer1616–Beer used or consumed in a household; spec. beer of ordinary quality suitable for everyday use.
- bottle1622–attributive with the sense ‘stored, sold, or brewed in a bottle’, as bottle beer, bottle cider, etc. Cf. bottled, adj. 3.
- mumc1623–A kind of beer brewed from wheat malt and flavoured with aromatic herbs, originally made at Brunswick (Braunschweig) in Germany.
- old beer1626–a. Beer that is old or stale; b. = old ale, n.
- six1631–1898Six-shilling beer. In later use plural. Also old six (see quot. 1890).
- bitter beer1633–Beer that is strongly flavoured with hops and has a bitter taste (cf. bitter, adj. B.4a); also figurative.
- four1633–Short for. Four-shilling beer (see quot).
- maize beer1663–
- mum beer1667–
- vinegar beer1677? beer employed for conversion into vinegar.
- wrest-beer1689(See quot. 1689)
- nog1693–English regional (East Anglian). A strong variety of beer, brewed esp. in Norfolk.
- October1705–A kind of strong ale traditionally brewed in October. Now chiefly historical.
- October beer1707–= October, n. 2.
- butt beer1730–71Beer kept in a butt, as opposed to a hogshead or other cask.
- starting beer1735–(Apparently) a kind of weak or medium-strength beer.
- butt1743–A type of beer usually identified as a type of porter. Frequently in entire butt (see entire, adj. A.I.2b). Now historical.
- peterman1767–1815A strong variety of wheat beer, formerly brewed at Louvain. Obsolete.
- seamen's beer1795See quot. 1795.
- chang1800–A Tibetan beer typically made from barley, rice, or millet.
- treacle beer1806–A light ale or beer brewed from treacle and water.
- stock beer1826–Beer that is stored for ripening before being drunk.
- Iceland beer1828A fermented liquor made from the sea sandwort, Honckenya (formerly Arenaria) peploides (family Caryophyllaceae), a succulent perennial plant of…
- East India pale ale1835–= India pale ale n. at India, n. I.4.
- India pale ale1837–A pale amber-coloured beer, with a higher than average alcohol and hop content, originally to help preserve the beer when exported to British…
- faro1847–A kind of beer made chiefly at Brussels and in its neighbourhood. Cf. Pharaoh, n. 2.
- she-oak1848–slang. Beer (originally, beer brewed in Australia). Now rare.
- Bass1849–Bass's ale or beer, the ‘India Pale Ale’ or ‘Bitter Beer’ manufactured by Messrs. Bass & Co. of Burton-on-Trent. Also with a and plural, a…
- bitter1854–Chiefly British (originally colloquial). Beer that is strongly flavoured with hops and has a bitter taste; a drink of this. Cf. bitter ale, n., bitte…
- bock1856–In full bock beer. A strong dark-coloured variety of German beer. Also, a glass of this or any other beer.
- treble X1856–A brand or strength of beer. See also in treble, adj. A.2.
- cocktail1857British School slang. A type of beer, perhaps fresh, foaming beer (cf. sense A.3). Obsolete. rare.
- Burton1861–Used attributively and absol. to designate a type of ale (frequently in Burton ale): (a) = Bass, n.⁶; (b) (see quot. 1953).
- nettle beer1864–
- honey beer1867–a. South African a drink similar to mead, made of honey fermented by the addition of leaven and (occasionally) the larvae of bees; b. beer made or…
- pivo1873–In Russia and some Eastern European countries: beer made from hops and barley malt; a glass of this.
- Lambic1889–A strong beer brewed in Belgium.
- steam beer1898–A Californian effervescent beer.
- barley-beer1901–
- gueuze1926–A type of sour, fizzy, strong Belgian beer made by blending new and aged Lambic beers before a secondary fermentation.
- Kriek1936–A style of Belgian beer with a distinctive sour cherry flavour, traditionally made by slowly fermenting lambic beer with morello cherries. Also more…
- best1938–Originally and chiefly British = best bitter, n.
- rough1946–(A type of) sharp, acid, or harsh alcoholic drink, as draught bitter beer, rough wine, or (now esp.) rough cider.
- keg1949–In full keg ale, keg beer, keg bitter. Ale, beer, etc., from a keg (see quot. 1972).
- IPA1953–= India pale ale n. at India, n. I.4.
- busaa1967–A strong home-brewed traditional Kenyan beer made from fermented millet, maize, or sorghum flour.
- mbege1972–A traditional home-brewed beer of the Chagga people of Tanzania, made from fermented bananas and finger millet flour.
- craft brew1985–A beer made in a traditional or non-mechanized way; = craft beer, n.
- microbrew1985–Beer produced in a microbrewery; a particular variety of this, a microbeer.
- craft beer1986–A beer made in a traditional or non-mechanized way, esp. by an individual or a small brewery.
- microbeer1986–Beer produced in small quantities, usually for distribution locally or to beer connoisseurs; a particular variety of this. Cf. microbrewery, n.
- New beer with which a small quantity of fermenting wort has been mixed to make it ‘work’.
Pronunciation
British English
U.S. English
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
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
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
Frequency
zythum typically occurs fewer than 0.01 times per million words in modern written English.
zythum 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 of zythum, n., 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 | 0.011 |
| 1800 | 0.01 |
| 1810 | 0.0095 |
| 1820 | 0.0087 |
| 1830 | 0.0037 |
| 1840 | 0.0034 |
| 1850 | 0.0031 |
| 1860 | 0.003 |
| 1870 | 0.0022 |
| 1880 | 0.0014 |
| 1890 | 0.0008 |
| 1900 | 0.0009 |
| 1910 | 0.0008 |
| 1920 | 0.0006 |
| 1930 | 0.0005 |
| 1940 | 0.0006 |
| 1950 | 0.0006 |
| 1960 | 0.0006 |
| 1970 | 0.0004 |
| 1980 | 0.0004 |
| 1990 | 0.0004 |
| 2000 | 0.0004 |
| 2010 | 0.0003 |