Zweig, n.

zweig
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zweig_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
First published 1993; not fully revised

# Zweignoun

## Factsheet

### What does the noun Zweig mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun Zweig. 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 Zweig pronounced?

#### British English

/tsvʌɪɡ/

### Where does the noun Zweig come from?

Earliest known use

1970s

The earliest known use of the noun Zweig is in the 1970s.

OED's earliest evidence for Zweig is from 1973, in Physics Rep.

From a proper name.

Etymons: proper name Zweig.

### Nearby entries

1. Zuricher, n. 1673–
2. zurla, n. 1940–
3. zurlite, n. 1826–
4. zurna, n. 1870–
5. zurr, n. 1803–
6. zussmanite, n. 1965–
7. zut, int. 1915–
8. zuur-veldt, n. 1785–
9. zuz, n. 1688–
10. zwanziger, n. 1828–
11. Zweig, n.1973–
12. zwieback, n. 1894–
13. zwieselite, n. 1861–
14. Zwinglian, n. & adj. 1532–
15. Zwinglianism, n. 1581–
16. Zwinglianist, n. 1673–1759
17. zwischenzug, n. 1941–
18. zwitterion, n. 1906–
19. zwitterionic, adj. 1946–
20. Zydeco, n. 1949–
21. zygadite, n. 1861–

## Etymology

### Summary

From a proper name.
Etymon: proper name Zweig.
< the name of George Zweig (b. 1937), Russian-born U.S. physicist.

## Meaning & use

Particle Physics.

1. 1973–
   Used attributively, in combinations, and in the possessive in or with reference to Zweig rule noun (also Zweig's rule) an empirical rule governing the possible outcomes of hadron decay in quantum chromodynamics.
   1. 1973

      > A four point function satisfying the quark model ansatz..splits naturally into two three point functions, each satisfying Zweig's rule.

      Physics Rep. vol. 8 199
   2. 1977

      > With the Zweig rule, the ρπ decay mode for the physical ϕ meson is permitted only through its admixture of nonet ω state.

      Proceedings 17th Scottish Univ. Summer School Physics 192
   3. 1977

      > Examples of..Zweig-allowed and..Zweig-forbidden graphs for ϕ decay.

      Proceedings 17th Scottish Univ. Summer School Physics 192 (caption)
   4. 1978

      > There is also a useful review by Lipkin of the empirical status of the so-called Zweig rule, which is supposed to inhibit the decay of the J/ψ to hadrons so strongly.

      Nature 9 March 192/1
   5. 1989

      > Any process where new quarks and antiquarks emerge in a way that can be cut, like figure 14.7(b), is suppressed relative to processes of the figure 14.7(a) topology. This observation has been elevated to an ad hoc rule, known as the Zweig rule or OZI rule.

      F. Close in P. Davies, New Physics xiv. 408/1
   particle physics
   1. Zweig rule 1973–
      Used attributively, in combinations, and in the possessive in or with reference to Zweig rule n. also Zweig's rule an empirical rule governing…
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/tsvʌɪɡ/

####

##### 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.

Zweig, n. was first published in 1993; not fully revised.

Zweig, n. was last modified in March 2025.