Zapata, n.

zapata
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zapata_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2025

# Zapatanoun

## Earlier version

- Zapata in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the noun Zapata mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun Zapata. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.

### How is the noun Zapata pronounced?

#### British English

/zəˈpɑːtə/
zuh-PAH-tuh

#### U.S. English

/zəˈpɑdə/
zuh-PAH-duh
/səˈpɑˌtɑ/
suh-PAH-tah

### Where does the noun Zapata come from?

Earliest known use

1960s

The earliest known use of the noun Zapata is in the 1960s.

OED's earliest evidence for Zapata is from 1962, in Daily Advertiser (Lafayette).

From a proper name.

Etymons: proper name Zapata.

### Nearby entries

1. ZANU, n. 1963–
2. zany, n. & adj. 1582–
3. zany, v. 1602–1894
4. zanyish, adj. 1843–
5. zanyism, n. 1823–
6. zanyship, n. 1766–1839
7. Zanzibari, n. & adj. 1882–
8. zap, n. 1968–
9. zap, v. 1942–
10. zap, int. 1929–
11. Zapata, n.1962–
12. zapateado, n. 1845–
13. Zapatism, n. 1911–
14. Zapatismo, n. 1913–
15. Zapatist, n. & adj. 1911–
16. Zapatista, n. & adj. 1911–
17. zapote, n. 1842–
18. Zapotec, n. & adj. 1797–
19. zappe, v. c1600
20. zapped, adj. 1962–
21. zapper, n. 1969–

## Etymology

### Summary

From a proper name.
Etymon: proper name Zapata.
< the name of Emiliano Zapata (1879–1919), Mexican revolutionary.

## Meaning & use

1. 1962–
   As a modifier, designating a type of moustache in which the two ends extend downwards to the chin. Chiefly in Zapata moustache.
   Emiliano Zapata (see etymology) was portrayed with a moustache of this kind by Marlon Brando in the 1952 film Viva Zapata!
   1. 1962

      > His concession to non-conformity is the cultivation of a zapata moustache.

      Daily Advertiser (Lafayette) 16 October 22/3
   2. 1977

      > He is a heavy, buccaneering figure with a Zapata mustache.

      New York Review of Books 4 August 11/1
   3. 1983

      > I was delighted to see a few shots of Karajan as stage actor—hiding behind a Zapata moustache as a bit-part cardsharper in the Carmen film he made in 1967.

      Manchester Guardian Weekly 22 May 20/1
   4. 1988

      > He was coot-bald with a glistening pate and a luxurious Zapata 'tache.

      Punch 13 May 45/3
   5. 2015

      > Gerry Simpson, in his mid 20s, with a retro mullet of brown hair and a Zapata moustache, was sitting on a battered sofa.

      G. Dowson, Closing Distance iii. 71
   hairdressing
   1. rat-tail moustache 1871–
   2. burnside 1875–
      ‘A style of beard such as that affected by General Burnside (1824–81), consisting of a mustache, whiskers, and a clean-shaven chin’ (Cent. Dict.…
   3. handlebar 1888–
      General attributive.
   4. Kitchener moustache 1898–
      A long, thick, drooping moustache similar to that worn by Kitchener; a walrus moustache.
   5. Kaiser moustache 1900–
      A wide, thick moustache with the ends turned sharply upwards, as worn by Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany.
   6. Kaiser Wilhelm moustache 1901–
      = Kaiser moustache, n. Cf. Kaiser Bill moustache, n.
   7. toothbrush moustache 1904–
      A bristly moustache.
   8. doormat 1909–
      slang. A beard or moustache.
   9. Kaiser Bill moustache 1910–
      = Kaiser moustache, n.; cf. Kaiser Wilhelm moustache, n.
   10. Old Bill moustache 1915–
       The name of a cartoon character of the First World War (1914–18), portrayed as an old grumbling Cockney soldier with a walrus moustache.
   11. cookie-duster 1918–
       A moustache, esp. one that is full and thick and overhangs the upper lip; also as a modifier, esp. in cookie-duster moustache.
   12. walrus moustache 1918–
       A large moustache which overhangs the lips (thus resembling the whiskers of a walrus).
   13. handlebar moustache 1926–
       A wide, thick moustache with the ends curving slightly upwards.
   14. walrus whiskers 1930–
       See walrus moustache, n.
   15. Hitler moustache 1932–
       A small, square moustache of the type worn by Adolf Hitler; a toothbrush moustache.
   16. soup-strainer 1932–
       A long moustache.
   17. pencil line 1934–
       A line drawn with a pencil or resembling a line so drawn; frequently attributive, esp. designating a thin moustache, eyebrow, etc.
   18. pencil moustache 1961–
       A very thin moustache.
   19. Zapata 1962–
       As a modifier, designating a type of moustache in which the two ends extend downwards to the chin. Chiefly in Zapata moustache.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/zəˈpɑːtə/
zuh-PAH-tuh

### U.S. English

/zəˈpɑdə/
zuh-PAH-duh
/səˈpɑˌtɑ/
suh-PAH-tah

####

##### 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

Zapata, n. was revised in March 2025.