zagnoun, adverb, & verb
Factsheet
What does the word zag mean?
There is one meaning in OED's entry for the word zag. 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 common is the word zag?
| 1790 | 0.7 |
| 1800 | 0.68 |
| 1810 | 0.7 |
| 1820 | 0.74 |
| 1830 | 0.67 |
| 1840 | 0.66 |
| 1850 | 0.65 |
| 1860 | 0.6 |
| 1870 | 0.55 |
| 1880 | 0.53 |
| 1890 | 0.52 |
| 1900 | 0.51 |
| 1910 | 0.51 |
| 1920 | 0.51 |
| 1930 | 0.53 |
| 1940 | 0.54 |
| 1950 | 0.55 |
| 1960 | 0.57 |
| 1970 | 0.57 |
| 1980 | 0.52 |
| 1990 | 0.48 |
| 2000 | 0.45 |
| 2010 | 0.4 |
How is the word zag pronounced?
British English
U.S. English
Where does the word zag come from?
Earliest known use
late 1700s
The earliest known use of the word zag is in the late 1700s.
OED's earliest evidence for zag is from 1793, in a letter by Robert Burns, poet.
zag is formed within English, by clipping or shortening.
Etymons: zigzag n., adj., & adv.
Nearby entries
- zabra, n.1523–
- zabuton, n.1879–
- zac, n.1898–
- 'zackly | 'zactly, adv.1886–
- zad, n.1669–
- Zadokite, n. & adj.1910–
- zadruga, n.1887–
- zaffre | zaffer, n.1662–
- zaftig, adj.1921–
- zafu, n.1965–
- zag, n., adv., & v.1793–
- zagaie | zagaye, n.1590–1698
- Zaghlulist, n. & adj.1921–
- zaguan, n.1851–
- Zahal, n.1959–
- zaibatsu, n.1937–
- Zaidi, n.1709–
- zaikai, n.1968–
- zaim, n.1807–
- zaire, n.1967–
- Zairean, n. & adj.1972–
Etymology
Meaning & use
- 1793–Used to express a movement or direction inclined at an angle to that indicated by zig v.
- 1793
I have written many a letter in return for letters I have received; but then—they were original matter—spurt—away! zig, here; zag, there.
R. Burns, Letter 26 April (2003) vol. II. 212 - 1840
We go down by zig and zag towards the level of the Tiber.
T. Arnold in A. P. Stanley, Life & Correspondence of Thomas Arnold (1844) vol. II. 403 - 1899
His steel zags down like lightning before a man's eye can teach his hand to parry.
H. Sutcliffe, Shameless Wayne xii. 158 - 1906
One of the chief difficulties of walking up snipe is that when you shoot zig he goes zag, and when you shoot zag he goes zig.
Spectator 1 December 879/2
the world movement motion in a certain direction change of direction of movement [intransitive verbs] change direction of movement move in winding course- to turn and winda1398–To turn this way and that; to go or move in a winding course. Formerly also †to turn and wind oneself. Now rare.
- wreathea1500–intransitive and transitive (reflexive). To bend or turn in a particular direction; to twist about; to writhe.
- twine1553–To extend or proceed in a winding manner; to bend, incline circuitously; to wind about, meander; of a serpent, etc., to crawl sinuously (also refl…
- indent1567–1644intransitive. To move in a zigzag or indented line; to turn or bend from side to side in one's course; to double. Obsolete.
- virea1586intransitive. To turn; to wind about.
- crank1594–1891intransitive. To twist and turn about; to move with a sharply winding course, to zigzag. Obsolete.
- transferred and figurative. to dance the hay or hays: to perform winding or sinuous movements (around or among numerous objects); to go through…
- maze1605–intransitive. To move in a winding course; to wander as if in a maze. Also (occasionally) transitive with it as object. Now rare.
- serpent1606–intransitive. To move in a serpentine manner; to follow a tortuous course; to wind.
- to indent the way1612–22transitive. to indent the way: in same sense.
- cringle1629–intransitive. Of a stream: to twist, wind. Also transitive (reflexive). rare. Now English regional (north-western).
- indenture1631–35intransitive. To move in a zigzag line; to zigzag. Obsolete.
- circumgyre1634–80intransitive. To turn round like a wheel; to revolve; to make circuits, wind about, circle.
- twist1635–intransitive and reflexive. To pass or move in a tortuous manner; to coil or twine about or round; to penetrate into something with a tortuous…
- glomerate1638intransitive. To wind or twist about.
- wind1667–Of a person, group, animal, vehicle, etc.: to travel in a twisting, turning, or meandering course, as… transitive, with way, course, etc., as…
- serpentine1767–intransitive. To move in a serpentine manner; to pursue a serpentine or tortuous path; to wind.
- meander1785–intransitive. In extended use.
- zigzag1787–intransitive. To go or move in a zigzag course; to have a zigzag course or direction. Also quasi-transitive, to zigzag it, to zigzag one's way.
- zag1793–Used to express a movement or direction inclined at an angle to that indicated by zig, v.
- to worm one's way1822–With adverbial accusative, as to worm one's way. Also of figurative progress (cf. III.10a).
- vandyke1828–intransitive. To go or proceed in an irregular zigzag manner; to take a zigzag course. ? Obsolete.
- crankle1835–intransitive. To bend in and out, to wind, twist; ‘to run in flexures and windings’ (Johnson); to run zig-zag.
- switchback1903–(intransitive) to take a zigzag course like a switchback railway (switchback, adj. A(a)); (Aeronautics) to make a switchback flight.
- rattlesnake1961–intransitive. To move fluidly, quickly, or with a rattling sound; to slither like a rattlesnake. Also transitive: to make (one's way) in this…
- zig1969–intransitive. To make a movement or direction inclined at an angle to that indicated by zag, n. & adv. & v.
the world movement motion in a certain direction change of direction of movement [nouns] indirectness of course moving in winding course instance of or a winding course a turn inthe world movement motion in a certain direction change of direction of movement [adverbs] not in a straight course in a winding course- aboutOld English–In rotation or revolution; round in a circular course. Now rare except in figurative use with verbs.
- aboutsa1387–= about, adv. (in various senses). Cf. nearabouts, adv.
- windingly1626In a winding or meandering manner; with twists and turns.
- zigzag1754–In a zigzag manner or direction.
- mazily1845–In a confused or convoluted manner; as if in a maze.
- zag1906–Used to express a movement or direction inclined at an angle to that indicated by zig, v.
- zigzaggedly1921–
Pronunciation
British English
U.S. English
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
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
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
Frequency
zag typically occurs about 0.5 times per million words in modern written English.
zag is in frequency band 4, which contains words occurring between 0.1 and 1 times per million words in modern written English. More about OED's frequency bands
Frequency of zag, n., adv., & v., 1790–2010
* 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 |
|---|---|
| 1790 | 0.7 |
| 1800 | 0.68 |
| 1810 | 0.7 |
| 1820 | 0.74 |
| 1830 | 0.67 |
| 1840 | 0.66 |
| 1850 | 0.65 |
| 1860 | 0.6 |
| 1870 | 0.55 |
| 1880 | 0.53 |
| 1890 | 0.52 |
| 1900 | 0.51 |
| 1910 | 0.51 |
| 1920 | 0.51 |
| 1930 | 0.53 |
| 1940 | 0.54 |
| 1950 | 0.55 |
| 1960 | 0.57 |
| 1970 | 0.57 |
| 1980 | 0.52 |
| 1990 | 0.48 |
| 2000 | 0.45 |
| 2010 | 0.4 |
Frequency of zag, n., adv., & v., 2017–2024
* Occurrences per million words in written English
Modern frequency series are derived from a corpus of 20 billion words, covering the period from 2017 to the present. The corpus is mainly compiled from online news sources, and covers all major varieties of World English.
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 corpus.
| Period | Frequency per million words |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 0.19 |
| 2018 | 0.19 |
| 2019 | 0.19 |
| 2020 | 0.19 |
| 2021 | 0.19 |
| 2022 | 0.2 |
| 2023 | 0.2 |
| 2024 | 0.2 |