zinginess, n.

zinginess
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zinginess_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
First published 2021

# zinginessnoun

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zinginess mean?

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

### How is the noun zinginess pronounced?

#### British English

/ˈzɪŋinᵻs/
ZING-ee-nuhss

#### U.S. English

/ˈzɪŋinᵻs/
ZING-ee-nuhss

### Where does the noun zinginess come from?

Earliest known use

1930s

The earliest known use of the noun zinginess is in the 1930s.

OED's earliest evidence for zinginess is from 1938, in Variety.

zinginess is formed within English, by derivation.

Etymons: zingy adj., ‑ness suffix.

### Nearby entries

1. Zingara, n. 1756–
2. Zingaro, n. 1600–
3. zingel, n. 1803–
4. zingelin perch, n. 1803
5. zinger, n. 1906–
6. Zingg, n. 1941–
7. zingho, n. 1743
8. zingiber, n.?1720–
9. zingiberaceous, adj. 1821–
10. zingily, adv. 1951–
11. zinginess, n.1938–
12. zinging, n. 1921–
13. zinging, adj. 1915–
14. zingingly, adv. 1952–
15. zingo, int. 1906–
16. zingy, adj. 1938–
17. Zinjanthropus, n. 1959–
18. zinke, n. 1773–
19. zinnia, n. 1761–
20. zinnober green, n. 1879–
21. zinnwaldite, n. 1850–

## Etymology

### Summary

Formed within English, by derivation.
< zingy adj. + ‑ness suffix.

## Meaning & use

1. 1938–
   The quality of being zingy; energy, liveliness; zest, piquancy.
   1. 1938

      > It is for distributors, and distributors alone, to bring back the old time zinginess of point-of-sale showmanship.

      Variety 17 August 3/2
   2. 1970

      > [Red pepper] sauce adds appetizing zinginess to tomato juice, too..just add a few drops to taste.

      Daily Times (Farmington, New Mexico) 4 September 5/3
   3. 2017

      > Like the freshness of a crisp apple or the zinginess of citrus? Try our 2016 #Riesling—it's undeniably delicious!

      @warramate 2 June in twitter.com (accessed 18 Dec. 2019)
   1. pepper a1425–
      In other allusive and proverbial contexts, chiefly with reference to the biting, pungent, inflaming, or stimulating qualities of pepper.
   2. tang c1440–
      A penetrating taste or flavour; usually (but not always) an after-taste, or a disagreeable or alien taste from contact with something else.
   3. mordacity 1583–1725
      Pungency, sharpness, penetrating power. Obsolete.
   4. heat 1586–
      The quality of being ‘hot’ in taste; strength or pungency of flavour.
   5. saltness 1612–
      Piquancy, poignancy.
   6. piquantness 1648–
      = piquancy, n.
   7. quickness 1652
      Sharpness, keenness; pungency or acidity of taste. Obsolete.
   8. subtilty 1661
      Keenness, pungency. Obsolete.
   9. penetratingness 1662–
   10. pungency 1663–
       The property of having a pungent smell or taste; (more widely) a stinging, irritant, or caustic quality.
   11. piquancy 1664–
       A pleasant or invigorating sharpness or pungency of taste or smell; zest, tang; an appetizing flavour.
   12. poignancy 1677–
       Pungency or sharpness of taste or smell. Frequently figurative (cf. sense 2). Now rare.
   13. mordicancy 1693–99
       The quality of being biting or caustic; (also) a smarting or acute irritation.
   14. pertness 1756–80
       Pungency or sharpness of taste. Obsolete.
   15. causticity 1772–
       Caustic quality; burning pungent taste; the property of destroying or corroding organic tissue.
   16. poignance 1782
       = poignancy, n. (in various senses); (formerly) †sharpness, pungency (obsolete); (more recently) keenness of feeling, or the ability to evoke…
   17. pungence 1810–
       = pungency, n.
   18. warmth 1816–
       Pungency (of seasoning).
   19. piquance 1867–
       = piquancy, n.
   20. zinginess 1938–
       The quality of being zingy; energy, liveliness; zest, piquancy.
   View in Historical Thesaurus
   1. jolliness c1386–
      The state or quality of being jolly, in the various senses of the adjective; jollity.
   2. livelihead c1425–
      Liveliness; vivacity; = livelihood, n.² Now archaic and rare.
   3. quickness c1425–
      Animation; liveliness, briskness, vigour; freshness. Now rare except as merged with 2 and 3.
   4. vyfnes 1475
      Liveliness, vivacity.
   5. ramage c1485–1618
      Wildness, spirit; courage; fierceness.
   6. courage a1498–1705
      Spirit, liveliness, lustiness, vigour, vital force or energy; also figurative. Obsolete.
   7. liveliness 1534–
      Activity; vigour.
   8. sprite c1540–
      As a mass noun: strength of character or purpose; courage, boldness, assertiveness. Cf. spirit, n. I.ii.6. Now rare (chiefly Scottish, archaic, or p…
   9. livelihood 1566–
      = liveliness, n. (in various senses). Common in the 17th cent. In later use poetic and archaic.
   10. life 1583–
       A sense of vitality or energy conveyed in action, thought, or expression; liveliness in feeling, manner, or aspect; animation, vivacity, spirit…
   11. sprightliness 1599–
       The state, quality, or fact of being sprightly; vigour; liveliness, animation; vivacity. Also (occasionally) as a count noun: an example of this; a…
   12. sprightfulness 1602–
   13. ruach 1606–
       The spirit of God; the spirit of the living being, life force. Now also in weakened sense: vitality, liveliness. Cf. pneuma, n. 2.
   14. sprightiness 1607–10
       Liveliness, vigour. Cf. sprightliness, n.
   15. sparkle 1611–
       Brightness or liveliness of spirit; smartness; wittiness.
   16. airiness 1628–
       Liveliness of personal manner; cheerfulness, levity, frivolity.
   17. vivacy 1637–1719
       = vivacity, n.
   18. spiritfulness 1644–
       The character or quality of being spirited, lively, bold, or vigorous; cf. spiritful, adj. 1.
   19. spirit 1651–
       The quality of being lively or animated; vivacity. Of a person, or his or her actions, speech, etc. Cf. sense I.ii.7b.
   20. vivacity 1652–
       Vigorous or energetic action; activity, energy, vigour; spirit. Now rare.
   21. spiritedness 1654–
       The character or quality of being spirited, lively, or determined; liveliness, vivacity.
   22. brightness 1660–
       The quality of being cheerful, alert, or lively; vivacity, animation.
   23. sprightness 1660–
       Vigour, liveliness, animation; an instance of this; = sprightliness, n.
   24. ramageness 1686
       Boldness, courage, spirit; unruliness; (of a hawk) wildness.
   25. race 1690–1875
       figurative. A characteristic style or manner of speech, writing, etc.; liveliness, piquancy. Cf. raciness, n. 2a, racy, adj.¹ 3c. Obsolete.
   26. friskiness 1727–
       The quality or state of being frisky.
   27. spirituousness 1727–1896
       The state or quality of being lively, animated, or energetic; vitality. Cf. spirituosity, n. 2. Obsolete.
   28. vivaciousness 1727–
       Vivacity of manner or speech; liveliness, sprightliness.
   29. brio 1731–
       Liveliness, vivacity, ‘go’.
   30. raciness 1759–
       With reference to speech, writing, manner, etc.: vigour, liveliness, robustness; lack of inhibition, suggestive or slightly indecent content or…
   31. phlogiston 1789–
       figurative. Fiery or combustible quality. Now rare.
   32. animation 1791–
       Liveliness of aspect or manner; vivacity, sprightliness, brightness.
   33. lifefulness 1829–
   34. pepper-and-salt 1842–
       With reference to the pungency or biting quality of pepper: intensity (of feeling), spirit, vigour; ‘spice’. Cf. pepper, n. II.4b.
   35. corkiness 1845–
       State or quality of being ‘corky’, in different senses.
   36. aliveness 1853–
       The fact or quality of being alive; energy, animation, vigour.
   37. tricksiness 1853–
       Playfulness, sprightliness; mischievousness.
   38. vitality 1858–
       figurative. Active force or power; mental or physical vigour; activity, animation, liveliness.
   39. music 1859–
       U.S. colloquial. Originally: liveliness; excitement; fun, sport; (also) sense of the ridiculous (now rare). Later: trouble, disturbance. Cf. musical…
   40. virtu 1876–
       Chiefly with reference to the writings of Niccolò Machiavelli: the strength of character necessary for political or military success; forceful…
   41. liveness 1890–
       The quality or condition of being alive (in various senses). Also: liveliness.
   42. zippiness 1907–
       The quality of being zippy (in various senses); speed, liveliness, zest, etc.
   43. bounce 1909–
       figurative. Energy, vitality; spirit, exuberance, verve.
   44. zing 1917–
       Energy, enthusiasm, or vibrancy; a stimulating or invigorating quality which adds to the enjoyment or agreeableness of something.
   45. radioactivity 1922–
       figurative. A quality or state characterized by the communication of intense energy; (also) intense energy communicated by someone or something.
   46. oomph 1937–
       The quality of being exciting, energetic, or sexually attractive; energy, vigour.
   47. pizzazz 1937–
       An attractive combination of vitality and glamour; sparkle, effervescence; (also) flashiness, showiness.
   48. zinginess 1938–
       The quality of being zingy; energy, liveliness; zest, piquancy.
   49. hep 1946–
       Liveliness, pep, energy. Cf. hep, v. 2, hepped, adj. 2a.
   50. vavoom 1962–
       Vigour, sex-appeal; oomph.
   51. welly 1977–
       slang. Force, power; frequently in to give it some welly and variants.
   52. masala 1986–
       figurative. Indian English. Piquancy, pep, vigour, excitement.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈzɪŋinᵻs/
ZING-ee-nuhss

### U.S. English

/ˈzɪŋinᵻs/
ZING-ee-nuhss

####

##### 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

zinginess, n. was first published in March 2021.

zinginess, n. was last modified in December 2023.