zymotic, adj. & n.

zymotic
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zymotic_adj%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
First published 1921; not fully revised

# zymoticadjective & noun

## Earlier version

- zymotic, a. (n.) in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the word zymotic mean?

There are four meanings listed in OED's entry for the word zymotic. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

zymotic has developed meanings and uses in subjects including

pathology (1840s) organic chemistry (1870s)

#### Entry status

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

### How common is the word zymotic?

About 0.02occurrences per million words in modern written English

1840 | 0.29
1850 | 0.34
1860 | 0.34
1870 | 0.32
1880 | 0.34
1890 | 0.32
1900 | 0.27
1910 | 0.19
1920 | 0.12
1930 | 0.067
1940 | 0.043
1950 | 0.028
1960 | 0.02
1970 | 0.017
1980 | 0.016
1990 | 0.016
2000 | 0.016
2010 | 0.014

### How is the word zymotic pronounced?

#### British English

/zʌɪˈmɒtɪk/
zigh-MOT-ik

#### U.S. English

/zaɪˈmɑdɪk/
zigh-MAH-dick

### Where does the word zymotic come from?

Earliest known use

1840s

The earliest known use of the word zymotic is in the 1840s.

OED's earliest evidence for zymotic is from 1842, in the writing of W. Farr.

zymotic is a borrowing from Greek.

Etymons: Greek ζυμωτικός.

### Nearby entries

1. zymophoric, adj. 1902–
2. zymophyte, n. 1890–
3. zymosan, n. 1943–
4. zymoscope, n. 1868–
5. zymosimeter, n. 1704–
6. zymosis, n. 1842–
7. zymotechnic, adj. 1896–
8. zymotechnical, adj. 1900–
9. zymotechnologist, n. 1896–
10. zymotechny, n. 1860–
11. zymotic, adj. & n.1842–
12. zymotoxic, adj. 1902–
13. zymurgy, n. 1868–
14. Zyrian, n. & adj. 1886–
15. zythum, n. 1608–
16. Zyzzyva, n. 1922–
17. 0800 number, n. 1988–
18. 0898 number, n. 1988–
19. 101, adj. 1929–
20. 1471, n. 1994–
21. 17-hydroxycorticosteroid, n. 1951–

## Etymology

### Summary

A borrowing from Greek.
Etymon: Greek ζυμωτικός.
< Greek ζυμωτικός causing fermentation, < ζυμοῦν: see zymosis n.

## Meaning & use

1. adjective
   1. 1. a.
         1842–
         A general epithet for infectious diseases, originally because regarded as being caused by a process analogous to fermentation (cf. zymosis n.); pertaining to this theory of disease; causing such disease.
         1. 1842

            > The property of communicating their action, and effecting analogous transformations in other bodies, is..characteristic in these diseases, which it is proposed therefore to call..zymotic.

            W. Farr in 4th Annual Rep. Registrar-Gen. Births, Deaths, & Marriages Eng. 201
         2. 1851

            > The zymotic doctrine of the Board of Health as to the cause of cholera.

            H. Mayhew, London Labour vol. II. 395/2
         3. 1896

            > Since many morbid processes are analogous, if not akin, to fermentative processes,..the term zymotic has been applied to them,—a term, however, to be avoided rather than recommended.

            T. C. Allbutt et al., System of Medicine vol. I. 528
         pathology
         1. contagious c1374–
            Of the nature of or characterized by contagion; communicating disease or corruption by contact; infectious. Also figurative.
         2. infective a1398–
            = infectious, adj. I.1; (in later use) esp. causing or responsible for infection.
         3. smitting?c1450–
            Infectious; contagious.
         4. infected 1480
            Of a disease: = infectious, adj. I.3a. Cf. infect, adj.¹ A.1b. Obsolete. rare.
         5. infectuous 1495–
            = infectious, adj.
         6. infecting 1539–
            That infects something or someone (in various senses); infectious.
         7. infectious 1575–
            Of a disease: capable of spreading from one individual to another; occurring in epidemics; transmissible, communicable; spec. transmitted by…
         8. smittle 1583–
            Of a disease or infestation: infectious; contagious; easily transmitted. Frequently figurative and in figurative contexts.
         9. catching 1594–
            Now chiefly in predicative use. Of a disease: capable of spreading from one individual to another; infectious; contagious.
         10. contaminous 1599–1630
             Infectious.
         11. taking 1608–
             Having a deleterious or pernicious effect; (of a disease or illness) liable to become established; (also) infectious, catching. Now rare.
         12. communicative 1741
             Suitable for or capable of being communicated; communicable. Obsolete.
         13. malignant 1822
             Bearing the germs of an infectious disease; infected, contagious. Obsolete. rare.
         14. contaminative 1826–
             Having a contaminating property; causing contamination.
         15. zymotic 1842–
             A general epithet for infectious diseases, originally because regarded as being caused by a process analogous to fermentation (cf. zymosis, n.)…
         16. smittling 1845–
             Infectious; contagious. Also figurative. Cf. smitting, adj., smittle, adj.
         17. infectant 1855–
             Causing infection; infectious.
         18. autoinfective 1874–
             Of or relating to autoinfection; causing autoinfection.
         19. catchy 1884–
             Of a disease or illness: capable of being transmitted from one individual to another; infectious, contagious; easily spread. Also figurative and in…
         20. toxo-infectious 1907–
             Involving infection by a toxin: = toxi-infectious, adj.
         21. postinfectious 1913–
             Occurring after an infection; caused by or associated with or a previous infection.
         View in Historical Thesaurus
      2. b.
         1874–
         In etymological sense: Causing or consisting in fermentation, fermentative.
         1. 1874

            > The zymotic action of yeast.

            A. B. Garrod & E. B. Baxter, Essentials of Materia Medica (ed. 4) 145
         organic chemistry
         1. zymotic 1874–
            In etymological sense: Causing or consisting in fermentation, fermentative.
         View in Historical Thesaurus
      3. c.
         1881–
         transferred. Containing putrefactive germs.
         1. 1881

            > An éprouvette containing one cubic centimeter of cold water, previously ascertained to be zymotic, was evaporated to dryness.

            J. Tyndall, Ess. Floating Matter of Air 208
         1. infect a1382–1578
            Tainted with disease or organic corruption. Obsolete.
         2. infected 1534–
            Containing or carrying (a source of) infection.
         3. zymotic 1881–
            transferred. Containing putrefactive germs.
         4. germy 1884–
            Full of germs or bacteria; unclean, unhygienic, insanitary; contaminated.
         5. unsterile 1892–
            Not sterile; esp. not free from microorganisms. Cf. sterile, adj. 7.
         View in Historical Thesaurus
2. noun
   1. 1842–
      A zymotic disease.
      1. 1842

         > A single word, such as Zymotics, is required to replace..the long periphrasis ‘epidemic, endemic, and contagious diseases’.

         W. Farr in 4th Annual Rep. Registrar-Gen. Births, Deaths, & Marriages Eng. 201
      2. 1859

         > People who have died of Zymotics.

         Household Words 8 January 122/2
      3. 1916

         > Health of Belfast... In 1914 there were 51 notifications of typhus..; not a case of this zymotic has been reported in 1915.

         Lancet 8 January 112/1
      pathology
      1. infection?a1425–
         Originally: disease, esp. infectious or communicable disease; an instance of this; an outbreak of disease; an epidemic. In later use also: invasion…
      2. smit 1838–
         Scottish, Irish English (northern), and English regional (northern). Frequently with the. An infectious disease; an infection.
      3. smittle 1838–
         Infection, contagion.
      4. zymotic 1842–
         A zymotic disease.
      5. return case 1856–
         A case of infectious disease occurring after the return home of a patient from hospital.
      View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/zʌɪˈmɒtɪk/
zigh-MOT-ik

### U.S. English

/zaɪˈmɑdɪk/
zigh-MAH-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

## Frequency

zymotic typically occurs about 0.02 times per million words in modern written English.

zymotic is in frequency band 3, which contains words occurring between 0.01 and 0.1 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 zymotic, adj. & n., 1840–2010

* 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
--- | ---
1840 | 0.29
1850 | 0.34
1860 | 0.34
1870 | 0.32
1880 | 0.34
1890 | 0.32
1900 | 0.27
1910 | 0.19
1920 | 0.12
1930 | 0.067
1940 | 0.043
1950 | 0.028
1960 | 0.02
1970 | 0.017
1980 | 0.016
1990 | 0.016
2000 | 0.016
2010 | 0.014

## Compounds & derived words

Sort by

1. zymotically, adv. 1851–

1. dezymotize, v. 1884–
   transitive. To free from disease-germs.

zymotic, adj. & n. was first published in 1921; not fully revised.

zymotic, adj. & n. was last modified in June 2024.