zoogenic, adj.

zoogenic
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zoogenic_adj%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2017

# zoogenicadjective

## Earlier version

- zoogenic, a. in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the adjective zoogenic mean?

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

zoogenic has developed meanings and uses in subjects including

physiology (1840s) geology (1860s)

### How common is the adjective zoogenic?

Fewer than 0.01occurrences per million words in modern written English

1860 | 0.002
1870 | 0.002
1880 | 0.0027
1890 | 0.0031
1900 | 0.0032
1910 | 0.0033
1920 | 0.0036
1930 | 0.003
1940 | 0.003
1950 | 0.0026
1960 | 0.0023
1970 | 0.0023
1980 | 0.0025
1990 | 0.0026
2000 | 0.0026
2010 | 0.0028

### How is the adjective zoogenic pronounced?

#### British English

/ˌzuː(ə)ˈdʒɛnɪk/
zoo-uh-JEN-ik
/ˌzəʊəˈdʒɛnɪk/
zoh-uh-JEN-ik

#### U.S. English

/ˌzu(ə)ˈdʒɛnɪk/
zoo-uh-JEN-ik
/ˌzoʊəˈdʒɛnɪk/
zoh-uh-JEN-ik

### Where does the adjective zoogenic come from?

Earliest known use

1840s

The earliest known use of the adjective zoogenic is in the 1840s.

OED's earliest evidence for zoogenic is from 1842, in Med. Times & Gazette.

zoogenic is formed within English, by compounding.

Etymons: zoo- comb. form, ‑genic comb. form.

### Nearby entries

1. zoodynamic, adj.?1819–
2. zoodynamics, n. 1888–
3. zooecial, adj. 1873–
4. zooecium, n. 1871–
5. zooerythrin, n. 1871–
6. zooflagellate, n. & adj. 1911–
7. zooful, n. 1914–
8. zoofulvin, n. 1871–
9. zoogamete, n. 1879–
10. zoogene, n. 1820–69
11. zoogenic, adj.1842–
12. zoogeny, n. 1826–
13. zoogeographer, n. 1868–
14. zoogeographic, adj. 1875–
15. zoogeographical, adj. 1864–
16. zoogeographically, adv. 1883–
17. zoogeography, n. 1851–
18. zoogeological, adj. 1841–
19. zoogeologist, n. 1844–
20. zoogeology, n. 1838–
21. zoogloea, n. 1861–

## Etymology

### Summary

Formed within English, by compounding.
Etymons: zoo- comb. form, ‑genic comb. form.
< zoo- comb. form + ‑genic comb. form.

In sense 1 after zoogeny n.; compare French zoogénique, in same sense (1836 or earlier).

In sense 2 after German zoogen (1823 or earlier).

## Meaning & use

1. 1.
   1842–
   Of or relating to zoogeny. Now historical and rare.
   1. 1842

      > Whether these zoogenic elements can become combined and associated with one another so as to produce a variation in animality.

      Med. Times & Gazette 17 December 182/3
   2. 1848

      > The animals,..whose embryogenic career is of different lengths, constitute a number of separate series,..according as their differences in zoogenic progress begin more early and are wider in character.

      American Journal of Science & Arts 2nd Series vol. 5 429
   3. 1891

      > We must look..to the zoögenic past of the species.

      C. Letourneau, Evol. Marriage & Family ii. 22
   4. 1894

      > Most of the forms of concourse, intercourse and mutual aid have their beginnings in animal society. By means of them animal life is developed into its various types. This stage, therefore, may be characterized as zoogenic, and the study of it, as exhibited in animal communities, is zoogenic sociology.

      F. H. Giddings, Theory Sociology iii. 40
   5. 1935

      > Environment and need dictated a transformation that..created a new species—the next elaboration of zoogenic development.

      Salt Lake Tribune 19 May 7/6
   physiology historical
   1. gemmiparous 1793–
      Of organisms: Producing new individuals by gemmation.
   2. gemmiferous 1804–
      Producing a gemma or bud; producing offspring by gemmation.
   3. self-reproductive 1814–
      Of or relating to self-reproduction.
   4. agamic 1816–
      Lacking sexual organs; produced or carried out asexually; = agamous, adj. Formerly also: †(of a plant) belonging to the former taxonomic division C…
   5. zoogenic 1842–
      Of or relating to zoogeny. Now historical and rare.
   6. virgin 1849–
      Denoting the process of parthenogenesis, as in virgin generation, virgin reproduction, etc.
   7. virgin-born 1857–
      That is produced by parthenogenesis.
   8. agamogenetic 1858–
      Of or relating to asexual reproduction; reproducing asexually.
   9. autogenetic 1859–
      Of, relating to, or involving autogenesis or self-generation. Cf. autogeny, n. 1.
   10. parthenogenetic 1860–
       Biology. Relating to, characterized by, or of the nature of parthenogenesis; resulting from parthenogenesis. Also figurative.
   11. parthenogenous 1869–
       = parthenogenetic, adj. 1.
   12. unsexual 1873–1907
       Biology. Without sexual organs or function; not involving or engaging in sexual reproduction; = asexual, adj. A.1. Obsolete. rare.
   13. monogenous 1874–84
       Biology. Of asexual reproduction: vegetative. Obsolete. rare.
   14. monogonic 1876–94
       Of reproduction in non-sexual organisms or stages: asexual, vegetative. Cf. monogenic, adj.¹ 3a.
   15. monogonous 1876
       = monogonic, adj.
   16. arrenotokous 1877–
       (See quot. 1877.)
   17. gemmative 1877–
       Concerned with the production of offspring by gemmation.
   18. thelytokous 1877–
       Producing only female offspring, as the parthenogenetic females of some species: opposed to arrenotokous.
   19. parthenogenic 1878–
       = parthenogenetic, adj. 1.
   20. heteroblastic 1888–
       a. Arising from cells of a different kind; opposed to homoblastic; b. Botany (characterized by) having a marked difference between the immature and…
   21. blastogenic 1889–
       Of or pertaining to blastogenesis; pertaining to origin from, or that originates in, the germ-cell or germ-plasm.
   22. isogamous 1889–
       Characterized by isogamy.
   23. paedogenetic 1889–
       Relating to or characterized by (parthenogenetic) reproduction occurring in a larval or immature form. Cf. paedogenesis, n. 1.
   24. monogenic 1890–
       Biology. Of, relating to, or characterized by vegetative reproduction (cf. monogenesis, n. 2). Cf. monogonic, adj. rare.
   25. anisogamous 1891–
       Characterized by anisogamy, n.
   26. monogenetic 1900
       Biology. Of reproduction: asexual, vegetative. Obsolete. rare.
   27. paedogamous 1912–
       Relating to, involving, or of the nature of paedogamy.
   28. apomictic 1913–
       Pertaining to or produced by apomixis; reproducing without sexual fusion.
   29. ameiotic 1917–
       Designating asexual reproduction, spec. parthenogenesis, from diploid gametes produced by ameiosis. Cf. apomictic, adj.
   30. cytogamous 1918–
       Undergoing or produced by cytogamy.
   31. ectogenetic 1923–
   32. amictic 1925–
       Biology. Relating to, undergoing, or resulting from a mode of asexual reproduction occurring in some rotifers, in which a female produces…
   33. pseudogamous 1932–
       Reproducing by or involving pseudogamy.
   34. agamospermous 1933–
       Characterized by asexual reproduction in which seeds are produced from unfertilized ovules; exhibiting agamospermy.
   35. impaternate 1934–
       Produced parthenogenetically by a female without fecundation by a male.
   36. subsexual 1937–
       Genetics. Of or relating to any of several forms of apomixis in plants in which the progeny are genetically different from the parent despite the…
   37. mictic 1950–
       Originally: designating females (of various species) that are capable of sexual reproduction (i.e. that are not obligately parthenogenetic). Later…
   38. somatogamous 1950–
   39. zygogenetic 1950–
   View in Historical Thesaurus
2. 2.
   1866–
   Formed by or derived from animals or their parts. Cf. phytogenic adj.
   1. 1866

      > Zoogenic deposits [German Zoogene Ablagerungen] are products of animal agency.

      P. H. Lawrence, translation of B. von Cotta, Rocks Classified 360
   2. 1895

      > Most limestones are of organic and zoögenic origin, though some are phytogenic.

      E. H. Williams, Manual Lithography (ed. 2) 298
   3. 1908

      > That petroleum is not exclusively zoogenic may now be considered as conclusively proved.

      Transactions Inst. Mining Engin. vol. 35 550
   4. 1930

      > Poisons elaborated or produced by animals, or zoogenic poisons, are commonly much more toxic for living plant protoplasm than for living animal tissues.

      Science 21 March 306/1
   5. 1999

      > The mounds are zoogenic, initially created by termites and often colonized by a wide variety of burrowing animals.

      Diversity & Distributions vol. 5 62/1
   6. 2010

      > The zoogenic limestone..was used by the former population for making iron.

      B. Chavane & C. Feller in E. R. Landa & C. Feller, Soil & Culture xx. 332
   geology
   1. vital 1855–
      Geology. Produced or formed by vital action or force; of vital or organic origin.
   2. zoic 1863–
      Showing traces of life; in Geology, containing organic remains.
   3. zoogenic 1866–
      Formed by or derived from animals or their parts. Cf. phytogenic, adj.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˌzuː(ə)ˈdʒɛnɪk/
zoo-uh-JEN-ik
/ˌzəʊəˈdʒɛnɪk/
zoh-uh-JEN-ik

### U.S. English

/ˌzu(ə)ˈdʒɛnɪk/
zoo-uh-JEN-ik
/ˌzoʊəˈdʒɛnɪk/
zoh-uh-JEN-ik

####

##### 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

See zoo- comb. form and ‑genic comb. form.

## Frequency

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

zoogenic 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 zoogenic, adj., 1860–2010

* 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
--- | ---
1860 | 0.002
1870 | 0.002
1880 | 0.0027
1890 | 0.0031
1900 | 0.0032
1910 | 0.0033
1920 | 0.0036
1930 | 0.003
1940 | 0.003
1950 | 0.0026
1960 | 0.0023
1970 | 0.0023
1980 | 0.0025
1990 | 0.0026
2000 | 0.0026
2010 | 0.0028

zoogenic, adj. was revised in June 2017.

zoogenic, adj. was last modified in July 2023.