zenzic, n. & adj.

zenzic
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zenzic_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2018

# † zenzicnoun & adjective

## Earlier version

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

## Factsheet

### What does the word zenzic mean?

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

This word is now obsolete. It is last recorded around the late 1500s.

### Where does the word zenzic come from?

Earliest known use

mid 1500s

The earliest known use of the word zenzic is in the mid 1500s.

OED's earliest evidence for zenzic is from 1557, in the writing of Robert Recorde, mathematician and physician.

zenzic is a borrowing from Latin.

Etymons: Latin zenzicus.

### Nearby entries

1. zenographical, adj. 1853–
2. zenography, n. 1890–
3. Zenonian, adj.¹ & n.¹ 1654–
4. Zenonian, adj.² 1756–
5. Zenonian, adj.³ & n.² 1837–
6. Zenonic, adj.¹ 1779–
7. Zenonic, adj.² 1827–
8. Zenonism, n.¹ 1789–
9. Zenonism, n.² 1935–
10. zenzi-, comb. form
11. zenzic, n. & adj.1557–71
12. zenzicube, adj. & n. 1557–1690
13. zenzicubic, adj. 1557–71
14. zenzicubicube, n. a1690
15. zenzizenzic, adj. & n. 1557–1690
16. zenzizenzicube, n. a1690
17. zenzizenzicubic, adj. a1690
18. zenzizenzizenzic, n. 1557–1690
19. zeolite, n. 1770–
20. zeolitic, adj. 1782–
21. zeolitical, adj. 1788–

## Etymology

### Summary

A borrowing from Latin.
Etymon: Latin zenzicus.
< post-classical Latin zenzicus, zensicus (1525 or earlier) < zensus (1525 or earlier; see note) + ‑icus ‑ic suffix.

Compare zenzi- comb. form…
< post-classical Latin zenzicus, zensicus (1525 or earlier) < zensus (1525 or earlier; see note) + ‑icus ‑ic suffix.

Compare zenzi- comb. form.

### Notes

Post-classical Latin zensus is apparently an alteration (after German Zins interest) of census square power (1202 in Leonardo of Pisa), a specific sense development of classical Latin cēnsus census n., after Arabic māl wealth, (from 9th cent. in algebra also) square power. German Zins ‘interest’ (Old High German zins, zens, Middle High German zins) is an early loanword < classical Latin cēnsus census n.
The Latin mathematical term census was borrowed into Italian as censo (13th cent. in sense ‘interest’, late 14th cent. in mathematics in sense ‘square number’).

## Meaning & use

Mathematics. Obsolete. rare.

1. noun
   1. 1557
      A square number; = square n. II.8.
      1. 1557

         > Squares of Squares..of some men..are named Zenzizenzikes, as square nombers are called Zenzikes.

         R. Recorde, Whetstone of Witte sig. Hiiv
      mathematics
      1. quadrate c1450–1702
         Mathematics. A square number; the square of a number. Obsolete.
      2. square 1557–
         Arithmetic, Algebra, and Geometry. The product of a number multiplied by itself; a second power.
      3. square number 1557–
         The product of a number multiplied by itself.
      4. zenzic 1557
         A square number; = square, n. II.8.
      5. equilater 1614–36
         a. Geometry. A square or cube. b. Arithmetic. A square or cube number.
      View in Historical Thesaurus
2. adjective
   1. 1571
      Of a number or root: square (cf. square adj. I.2a, I.2b).
      1. 1571

         > Extracte the Zenzike rootes of these numbers.

         T. Digges in L. Digges's Geometrical Practise: Pantometria xxii. sig. Dd j v
      mathematics
      1. solid c1430–1727
         Mathematics. Of number or measure: = cubic, adj. Obsolete.
      2. quadrate c1450–1759
         Mathematics. Of a number or root: square. Obsolete.
      3. whole c1450
         Mathematics. Designating a number obtained by multiplying a whole number by itself twice; cubic; = solid, adj. I.2b. Obsolete. rare.
      4. cubic 1551–
         Arithmetic, Algebra, etc. Relating to or involving the cube or third power of a quantity; of three dimensions, of the third degree.
      5. squared 1557–
         Multiplied by itself. Also figurative.
      6. sursolid 1557–1706
         Of the fifth degree; that is a fifth power or root; involving the fifth power of a quantity.
      7. zenzicubic 1557–71
         Designating the sixth power or root of a number.
      8. cubical?a1560–
         Arithmetic, Algebra, etc. = cubic, adj. A.3. Obsolete except in names of certain cubic curves, as cubical hyperbola, etc.
      9. zenzic 1571
         Of a number or root: square (cf. square, adj. I.2a, I.2b).
      10. quadrato-quadratic 1647–1890
          Of the fourth degree, quartic.
      11. quadrato-cubic 1654–1814
          (Of a number) equal to the fifth power of another number; (of an equation) of the fifth degree, quintic.
      12. biquadratic 1668–
          Relating to the square of a square, or fourth power, of a number.
      13. quadrato-quadratical 1668
          = quadrato-quadratic, adj.
      14. square-square a1679
          Biquadrate.
      15. powerful a1690
          Mathematics. Involving a square or higher power. Obsolete. rare.
      16. biquadrate 1806–
          The square of the square (power or root); the fourth power in arithmetic and algebra; = biquadratic, n.
      17. quintic 1851–
          Of the fifth degree; involving the fifth but no higher power of an unknown quantity or a variable.
      18. sextic 1851–
          Of the sixth degree or order; involving the sixth but no higher power of an unknown quantity or a variable.
      19. superlinear 1865–
          Mathematics. Involving a power greater than one; of an order greater than one. Cf. linear, adj. A.3a.
      View in Historical Thesaurus

## Forms

### Variant forms

1. 1500s
   zenzike

zenzic, n. & adj. was revised in June 2018.

zenzic, n. & adj. was last modified in September 2024.