zizania, n.

zizania
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zizania_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2021

# zizanianoun

## Earlier version

- zizania in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zizania mean?

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

### How common is the noun zizania?

Fewer than 0.01occurrences per million words in modern written English

1750 | 0.0092
1760 | 0.0095
1770 | 0.01
1780 | 0.015
1790 | 0.017
1800 | 0.019
1810 | 0.028
1820 | 0.031
1830 | 0.031
1840 | 0.031
1850 | 0.026
1860 | 0.024
1870 | 0.02
1880 | 0.012
1890 | 0.0085
1900 | 0.0074
1910 | 0.0058
1920 | 0.0052
1930 | 0.0046
1940 | 0.0038
1950 | 0.004
1960 | 0.0033
1970 | 0.0032
1980 | 0.0031
1990 | 0.003
2000 | 0.0028
2010 | 0.0028

### How is the noun zizania pronounced?

#### British English

/zᵻˈzeɪniə/
zuh-ZAY-nee-uh
/zʌɪˈzeɪniə/
zigh-ZAY-nee-uh

#### U.S. English

/zəˈzeɪniə/
zuh-ZAY-nee-uh
/zaɪˈzeɪniə/
zigh-ZAY-nee-uh

### Where does the noun zizania come from?

Earliest known use

early 1500s

The earliest known use of the noun zizania is in the early 1500s.

OED's earliest evidence for zizania is from 1526, in the Grete Herball.

zizania is a borrowing from Latin.

Etymons: Latin zizania.

### Nearby entries

1. zit-faced, adj. 1971–
2. zither, n. 1831–
3. zither, v. 1889–
4. zither banjo, n. 1888–
5. zithering, adj. 1889–
6. zitherist, n. 1866–
7. zither-like, adj. 1881–
8. ziti, n. 1845–
9. zitty, adj. 1971–
10. Ziv, n. a1382–
11. zizania, n.1526–
12. zizany, n. a1400–1803
13. zizel, n. 1775–
14. zizypha, n. 1546–1775
15. zizyphus, n.?1440–
16. zizz, v. 1883–
17. zizz, int. & n. 1824–
18. zizzing, n. 1884–
19. zizzing, adj. 1919–
20. zizzy, adj. 1843–
21. Zlid, n. 1616–1785

## Etymology

### Summary

A borrowing from Latin.
Etymon: Latin zizania.
< post-classical Latin zizania zizany n.

In sense 2 after scientific Latin Zizania, genus name (J. F. Gronovius Flora Virginica (1743) 189).

Compare earlier zizany n.…
< post-classical Latin zizania zizany n.

In sense 2 after scientific Latin Zizania, genus name (J. F. Gronovius Flora Virginica (1743) 189).

Compare earlier zizany n.

### Notes

Valid publication of the genus name: Linnaeus Species Plantarum (1753) vol. II. 991.
In form zizaniam after the Latin accusative singular form.

## Meaning & use

1. 1.
   1526–1809
   † A weed that grows among wheat; tares, darnel; = zizany n. 1. Also figurative: a pernicious influence or unwanted element; cf. tare n.1 3. Obsolete.
   Quot. a1398 shows a use of a form of the Latin word in an English context.
   1. [(a1398)

      > Ray hatte zysannia and is a certein herbe... He..is liche to whete whanne it is in grasse.

      J. Trevisa, translation of Bartholomaeus Anglicus, De Proprietatibus Rerum (British Library Add. MS. 27944) (1975) vol. II. xvii. cxciv. 1089]
      [Composed a1398]
   2. 1526

      > Zizania is an euyll wede yt groweth in the wheate, and corrupteth whan the weder is drye.

      Grete Herball cdlxxix. sig. Bb.ijv/1
   3. 1562

      > There is great lyknes betwene whete and zizaniam, which we call lolium.

      W. Turner, 2nd Part Herball f. 41
   4. 1570

      > The doctrine of the Bohemians, whiche he termeth by the name of Zizania.

      J. Foxe, Actes & Monumentes (revised edition) vol. I. 829/2
   5. 1612

      > With their Zizaniaes of faction, they make boot & havocke of Catholickes estates.

      T. James, Iesuits Downefall 8
   6. 1744

      > One would think they were of the Devil's own sowing, the ancient Zizania.

      D. Hillman in Tusser's Five Hundred Points Husbandry 32 (note)
   7. 1809

      > Some indeed think, that because the servants distinguished the zizania from the wheat, there was no resemblance between them.

      C. Simeon, Evangelical & Pharisiac Righteousness Compared 17
   plants
   1. weed Old English–
      A person or thing likened to a weed (sense I.i.1a.i) in being considered noxious, troublesome, or useless.
   2. popple a1425–1644
      figurative. In echoes of Matthew 13:25, 26: tares (tare, n.¹ 3b). Obsolete.
   3. darnel 1444–
      figurative. Cf. cockle, n.¹, tare, n.¹
   4. zizania 1526–1809
      A weed that grows among wheat; tares, darnel; = zizany, n. 1. Also figurative: a pernicious influence or unwanted element; cf. tare, n.¹ 3. Obsolete.
   5. thistle 1563–
      figurative or in figurative context, with reference to the thistle as a noxious or prickly weed.
   6. zizany 1581
      A weed that grows among wheat; tares, darnel; = zizania, n. 1. Also figurative: a pernicious influence or unwanted element; cf. tare, n.¹ 3.
   7. fungus 1659–
      figurative. A person or thing likened to a fungus, esp. in being unpleasant, excrescent, or ephemeral.
   8. tare 1686–
      Hence in allusive and figurative uses.
   View in Historical Thesaurus
   1. zizany a1400–1789
      A weed that grows among wheat; tares, darnel; = zizania, n. 1. Also figurative: a pernicious influence or unwanted element; cf. tare, n.¹ 3.
   2. hog's fennel 1525–
      Any of several plants having finely divided leaves like those of fennel; spec. (a) a plant of the genus Peucedanum (family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae))…
   3. zizania 1526–1809
      A weed that grows among wheat; tares, darnel; = zizany, n. 1. Also figurative: a pernicious influence or unwanted element; cf. tare, n.¹ 3. Obsolete.
   4. eyebright 1578–
      Any of several related plants, esp. red bartsia, Odontites vernus, and yellow bartsia, Parentucellia viscosa (both of the family Orobanchaceae)…
   5. henbit 1578–
      Ivy-leaved speedwell, Veronica hederifolia, a common arable and garden weed. More fully (and in later use only) small henbit. Now rare.
   6. red eye-bright 1657–
      = red bartsia, n.
   7. common orache 1728
      Any of numerous succulent inconspicuous-flowered plants of the genus Atriplex, of the goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae); spec. (a) (more fully gar…
   8. yellows 1738–1802
      Chiefly English regional. Any of several yellow-flowered arable weeds of the family Brassicaceae, esp. charlock (Sinapis arvensis) and wild turnip (Br…
   9. sitfast 1762–
      Originally Scottish. Any of several plants having tough, creeping roots; spec. thorny restharrow, Ononis spinosa, and creeping buttercup, Ranunculus r…
   10. winter weed 1787–
       Any of various small herbaceous plants which flourish in winter and are regarded as weeds; esp. speedwells (genus Veronica) (now rare), and (in the…
   11. dubbeltjie 1795–
       One of several South African weeds, esp. Tribulus terrestris or Emex australis; also the spiny, angular burr of any of these weeds.
   12. red bartsia 1805–
       A Eurasian plant, Odontites vernus (formerly included in the genus Bartsia), which has spikes of pink-purple flowers and is common in dry…
   13. tread-softly 1814–
       A name for a herbaceous perennial stinging plant (Jatropha urens var. stimulosa) of the southern United States; the spurge-nettle.
   14. rattlesnake leaf 1822–
       †a. = rattlesnake plantain, n. (b) (obsolete); b. a goldenrod (genus Solidago), formerly used to treat rattlesnake bites (cf. rattlesnake herb, n.…
   15. hog grass 1849–
       Any of various plants occurring chiefly as weeds in cultivated land; esp. knotweed, Polygonum aviculare, and sowthistle Sonchus oleraceus; cf. hogweed…
   16. popple 1855–
       English regional (Cumberland, Yorkshire). Any of several other cornfield weeds, esp. the corn poppy, Papaver rhoeas, and charlock, Sinapis arvensis…
   17. horse-nettle 1860–
       A North American weed of the nightshade family (Solanum carolinense).
   18. Cape weed 1878–
       a. Roccella tinctoria ‘a dye lichen, obtained from the Cape de Verde Islands’ (Treasury Bot. 1866); b. a common yellow-flowered herb, Cryptostemma cal…
   19. devil's paintbrush 1891–
       Orange hawkweed, Pilosella aurantiaca, which is considered to be a troublesome weed in many places where it has been introduced.
   20. tree-tobacco 1895–
       See quot. 1895.
   21. king devil 1898–
       (More fully king devil weed) any of several hawkweeds (genus Hieracium) or mouse-ear hawkweeds (genus Pilosella), esp. when regarded as troublesome…
   22. khaki weed 1907–
       Alternanthera repens, a member of the family Amaranthaceæ which has spread from South America to South Africa and Australia.
   23. white top 1909–
       U.S. Any of various plants regarded as weeds of agricultural land, esp. any of several white-flowered species of fleabane (genus Erigeron), and…
   24. three-corner jack 1919–
       = three-cornered jack n. at three-cornered, adj. 3.
   View in Historical Thesaurus
2. 2.
   1756–
   Botany. An aquatic grass of the genus Zizania; wild rice. Also (in form Zizania): the genus itself.
   1. 1756

      > The larger Zizania, with a scattered panicle.

      P. Browne, Civil & Natural History of Jamaica ii. ii. 340
   2. 1829

      > The zizania or Canada-rice.

      T. Castle, Introduction to Systematical & Physiological Botany 157
   3. 1847

      > The Menomonies are called ‘Folles Avoines’, or Wild Oats, from the wild rice or zizania which their country produces.

      J. C. Prichard, Research Physical History of Mankind (ed. 3) vol. V. vi. v. §6. 395
   4. 1901

      > In Zizania and Bromus, Zea and other grasses the epidermis is followed by sclerenchyma sheath.

      L. H. Pammel et al., Grasses Iowa 18
   5. 1991

      > Another genus is Zizania, a wild plant whose grains were collected by North American Indians as an important source of food.

      R. H. M. Langer & G. D. Hill, Agric. Plants (ed. 2) iv. 139
   6. 2009

      > Wetlands that exhibited the greatest loss of Zizania tended to have higher levels of residential development within their watershed.

      Wetlands vol. 29 724
   plants
   1. zizany a1400–1789
      A weed that grows among wheat; tares, darnel; = zizania, n. 1. Also figurative: a pernicious influence or unwanted element; cf. tare, n.¹ 3.
   2. tares a1425–
      plural. Used in the later Wycliffite (or Purvey) version of the New Testament (Matthew xiii. 25), also in some manuscripts of the earlier text, and…
   3. titter 1573–1643
      A kind of weed found in cornfields (perhaps a vetch or tare).
   4. furrow-weed 1608–
      A weed that grows on the ‘furrow’ or ploughed land.
   5. zizania 1756–
      Botany. An aquatic grass of the genus Zizania; wild rice. Also (in form Zizania): the genus itself.
   6. walder 1764–
      Some weed found abundantly in cornfields.
   View in Historical Thesaurus
   1. black rice 1528–
      Any of several varieties of rice with a dark-coloured husk.
   2. fundi 1670–
      Originally: porridge or other food made from the seeds of millet or a similar cereal grass. In later use also: a cereal grass, Digitaria exilis…
   3. rice a1710–
      Chiefly North American. The edible seeds of any of several grasses of the genus Zizania (closely related to Oryza); (also) any of these grasses, esp…
   4. wild rice 1748–
      An aquatic grass, Zizania aquatica, native to North America, having seeds resembling rice and used as food.
   5. zizania 1756–
      Botany. An aquatic grass of the genus Zizania; wild rice. Also (in form Zizania): the genus itself.
   6. zizany 1759–1803
      An aquatic grass of the genus Zizania; wild rice; = zizania, n. 2. rare.
   7. water oats 1771–
      Wild rice (genus Zizania) (see rice, n.² 3a).
   8. Canada rice 1786–
      Any of several kinds of North American wild rice (genus Zizania), esp. Z. aquatica, which grows in shallow water and the seeds of which are used…
   9. Carolina rice 1787–
      A variety of rice, the ripe husk of which is yellowish.
   10. menomin 1791–
       A name originally used by Ojibwa people and also occasionally more widely (esp. in Canada) for: wild rice, Zizania aquatica, or its seeds.
   11. Patna rice 1795–
       In full Patna rice. A variety of rice with long firm grains, used chiefly in curries and other savoury dishes.
   12. Indian rice 1809–
       a. Any of several kinds of North American wild rice (genus Zizania); esp. Z. aquatica, which grows in shallow water and was formerly an important…
   13. water rice 1811–
       Wild rice (genus Zizania) (see rice, n.² 3a).
   14. pulut 1820–
       In Malaysia: a kind of glutinous rice. Also attributive, esp. in pulut rice.
   15. gold-seed 1822–
       a. A variety of rice with a yellowish husk, grown in the southern United States (frequently attributive) (now historical); †b. crested dogstail…
   16. dhan 1832–
       Rice in the husk.
   17. hungry rice 1858–
       A grain allied to millet, Paspalum exile, much cultivated in West Africa.
   18. swamp rice 1861–
       = Canada, n.¹ rice.
   19. bomba 1914–
       More fully bomba rice. A variety of short-grained rice that retains a firm texture after cooking, chiefly used in paella.
   20. Menominee 1949–
       North American. With lower-case initial. = menomin, n. rare.
   21. miracle rice 1968–
       A modern hybrid rice with an exceptionally high yield.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/zᵻˈzeɪniə/
zuh-ZAY-nee-uh
/zʌɪˈzeɪniə/
zigh-ZAY-nee-uh

### U.S. English

/zəˈzeɪniə/
zuh-ZAY-nee-uh
/zaɪˈzeɪniə/
zigh-ZAY-nee-uh

####

##### 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. 1500s
   zizaniam
2. 1500s–
   zizania

## Frequency

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

zizania is in frequency band 2, which contains words occurring between 0.001 and 0.01 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 zizania, n., 1750–2010

* 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
--- | ---
1750 | 0.0092
1760 | 0.0095
1770 | 0.01
1780 | 0.015
1790 | 0.017
1800 | 0.019
1810 | 0.028
1820 | 0.031
1830 | 0.031
1840 | 0.031
1850 | 0.026
1860 | 0.024
1870 | 0.02
1880 | 0.012
1890 | 0.0085
1900 | 0.0074
1910 | 0.0058
1920 | 0.0052
1930 | 0.0046
1940 | 0.0038
1950 | 0.004
1960 | 0.0033
1970 | 0.0032
1980 | 0.0031
1990 | 0.003
2000 | 0.0028
2010 | 0.0028

zizania, n. was revised in March 2021.

zizania, n. was last modified in December 2024.