Revised 2018
† Zembliannoun & adjective
Factsheet
What does the word Zemblian mean?
There are two meanings listed in OED's entry for the word Zemblian. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
This word is now obsolete. It is last recorded around the late 1700s.
Where does the word Zemblian come from?
Earliest known use
late 1600s
The earliest known use of the word Zemblian is in the late 1600s.
OED's earliest evidence for Zemblian is from 1674, in P. M. de la Martinière's New Voyage into Northern Countries.
From a proper name, combined with an English element; modelled on a French lexical item.
Etymons: proper name Nova Zembla, ‑ian suffix.
Nearby entries
- zelatrix, n.1865–
- Zeldovich, n.1956–
- Zelig, n.1984–
- Zelig-like, adj.1983–
- zelkova, n.1836–
- zelotypia, n.1566–
- zelotyping, adj.a1660
- zelotypist, n.?1632
- zelotypy, n.1623–1794
- Zemblan, n. & adj.1674–1805
- Zemblian, n. & adj.1674–1796
- zemi, n.1555–
- zemiistic, adj.1907–
- zemirah, n.1767–
- zemni, n.1775–
- Zemsky Sobor, n.1877–
- zemstvo, n.1865–
- zemstvoist, n.1904–
- Zen, n. & adj.1727–
- Zen, v.1968–
- zenana, n. & adj.1761–
Etymology
Summary
From a proper name, combined with an English element; modelled on a French lexical item.
Etymons: proper name Nova Zembla, ‑ian suffix.
< Zembla (in the name of Nova Zembla: see Zemblan n.) + ‑ian suffix, after French Zemblien (1671 in the passage translated in quot. 1674).Compare Zemblan n., Zemblan adj.
Meaning & use
Obsolete.
- noun
- 1674–1796A native or inhabitant of Novaya Zemlya; = Zemblan n.
- 1674
Samoiedes, Siberians, Zemblians [French Zembliens].
translation of P. M. de la Martinière, New Voyage into Northern Countries 34 - 1796
As the rude Zemblian views with anxious eyes The sun fast rolling from his wintry skies.
St. J. Honeywood, Poem on President's Address 3
the world people nations native or inhabitant of Asia native or inhabitant of Russia, the Russian Empire, or the Soviet Union [nouns] regions, states, or provinces- Albanianc1400–A native or inhabitant of Albania, a country once located in the eastern Caucasus, in the regions that are now Azerbaijan and the southern part of…
- Georgian?a1425–A native or inhabitant of Georgia, a south-eastern European country situated on the east coast of the Black Sea.
- Armenian?1520–A native or inhabitant of Armenia; a person of Armenian descent.
- Moldave1552–1856= Moldavian, n.
- Permian1555–An inhabitant of the Perm region of Russia; spec. a member of the Komi or Udmurt people or a speaker of a Permic language.
- Anatolian1588–An inhabitant or native of Anatolia, a region comprising the westernmost peninsula of Asia, bounded by the Black Sea, the Aegean, and the…
- Podolian1603–A native or inhabitant of Podolia, a region in present-day south-western Ukraine.
- Lithuanian1607–A native of Lithuania; also, the Lithuanian language, being one of the Lettic group of Aryan languages.
- Livonian1652A native or inhabitant of Livonia, a historical region around the Gulf of Riga, corresponding to most of modern Latvia and Estonia.
- White Russian1659–A native or inhabitant of various East Slavic areas formerly known collectively as White Russia. In later use chiefly: a native or inhabitant of an…
- Black Russian1661–A native or inhabitant of the historical region of Black Ruthenia, in the western part of modern Belarus. Now historical and rare.
- Zemblan1674–1794A native or inhabitant of Novaya Zemlya, an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean in northern Russia.
- Zemblian1674–1796A native or inhabitant of Novaya Zemlya; = Zemblan, n.
- Ukrainian1694–A person from, or living in, Ukraine; a person of Ukrainian descent.
- Siberian1719–A native of Siberia.
- Ukrainer1744–A person from, or living in, Ukraine; a person of Ukrainian descent; = Ukrainian, n. A.1.
- Kurile1764–A native or inhabitant of the Kurile islands.
- Crimean1768–A native or inhabitant of the Crimea.
- Great Russian1783–A native of the East Slavonic-speaking region excluding Belorussia (Belarus) and Ukraine (sometimes referred to historically as ‘Russia proper’); a…
- Little Russian1799–A native or inhabitant of Ukraine, a Ukrainian; a Ruthenian. Cf. Malo-Russian, n., and also Great Russian, n., White Russian, n. A.1.
- Bessarabian1835–An inhabitant of Bessarabia.
- Belorussian1872–A native or inhabitant of Belarus; = Belarusian, n. B.1. Cf. White Russian, n. A.1a.
- Sibiriak1903–A Siberian descended from European Russian settlers. Also attributive or as adj.
- Latvian1941–A native or inhabitant of Latvia.
- Belarusian1951–A native or inhabitant of Belarus. Cf. Belorussian, n. A.1, White Russian, n. A.1a.
- adjective
- a1761–89Of or relating to Novaya Zemlya; = Zemblan adj.
- a1761
Thy unwearied soul..gave to Britain half the zemblian sky.
J. Cawthorn, Poems (1771) 179 - 1780
The Dutch..attempted a passage through the Zemblian Straits to China.
E. Macfait, New Syst. General Geography i. 323 - 1789
With blood like Zemblian ice, and heart of stone.
W. L. Brown, Ess. Sensibility iii. 82
- Arcticc1540–Geography. Designating the north polar region of the earth, which comprises the Arctic Ocean and the northernmost parts of Asia, Europe, and North…
- Zemblan1729–1805Of or relating to Novaya Zemlya; (hence) arctic, northern.
- north polar1744–Of or relating to a north pole, esp. the earth's North Pole.
- Zembliana1761–89Of or relating to Novaya Zemlya; = Zemblan, adj.
the world the earth named regions of earth Russia, the Russian Empire, or the Soviet Union [adjectives] other regions- Zembliana1761–89Of or relating to Novaya Zemlya; = Zemblan, adj.
- White Russian1799–Of or relating to Belarus, its people, or their language. Cf. Belarusian, adj., Belorussian, adj. Now historical.
- Ural-Altaic1853–Pertaining or belonging to the region including the Ural range and the Altaic mountains (in central Asia), its inhabitants, or their speech. Also a…
- Belorussian1888–Of or relating to Belarus, its people, or their language; = Belarusian, adj. Cf. White Russian, adj. B.1.