Zeus, n.¹

zeus
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zeus_n1%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2018

# Zeusnoun1

## Earlier version

- Zeus in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the noun Zeus mean?

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

Zeus has developed meanings and uses in subjects including

ancient Greek history (late 1500s) classical mythology (early 1700s) fish (early 1700s)

### How is the noun Zeus pronounced?

#### British English

/z(j)uːs/
zyooss

#### U.S. English

/zus/
zooss

### Where does the noun Zeus come from?

Earliest known use

late 1500s

The earliest known use of the noun Zeus is in the late 1500s.

OED's earliest evidence for Zeus is from 1587, in a translation by Sir Philip Sidney, author and courtier, and Arthur Golding, translator.

From a proper name.

Etymons: proper name Zeus.

### Nearby entries

1. zeuglodont, n. & adj. 1850–
2. zeuglodontoid, adj. & n. 1891
3. zeugma, n. c1450–
4. zeugmatic, adj. 1851–
5. zeugmatical, adj. 1610–
6. zeugmatically, adv. 1616–
7. zeugmatogram, n. 1973–
8. zeugmatographic, adj. 1973–
9. zeugmatography, n. 1973–
10. zeunerite, n. 1873–
11. Zeus, n.¹1587–
12. Zeus, n.² 1601–
13. Zeus-like, adj. & adv. 1850–
14. Zeuxian, adj. 1635–
15. Zeuxis, n. 1577–
16. Zeuxis-like, adj. 1665–
17. zeuxite, n. 1836–
18. zeze, n. 1860–
19. Zhdanovism, n. 1958–
20. Zhdanovist, adj. 1966–
21. Zhdanovite, adj. 1957–

## Etymology

### Summary

From a proper name.
Etymon: proper name Zeus.
< Zeus (ancient Greek Ζεύς: see note), the name of the supreme god in the ancient Greek pantheon.

Compare earlier Jupiter n.…
< Zeus (ancient Greek Ζεύς: see note), the name of the supreme god in the ancient Greek pantheon.

Compare earlier Jupiter n.

### Notes

For the Indo-European cognates of ancient Greek Ζεύς (genitive Διός; Mycenaean Greek di-we (dative), di-wo (genitive)), see the etymological note at Tuesday n., and compare classical Latin Iov- (see Jove n.), used as the oblique stem of Iuppiter Jupiter n.

## Meaning & use

1. 1.
   1587–
   (The name of) the chief god of the ancient Greeks, corresponding to the Roman Jupiter (Jupiter n. 1a).
   The son of Cronus (whom he dethroned) and Rhea, and husband of Hera, Zeus was the protector and ruler of humankind, the dispenser of good and evil, and the god of weather and atmospheric phenomena (such as rain and thunder).
   1. 1587

      > Also vnder the name of Zeus or Iupiter [French le nom de Ζεὺς ou Iuppiter], he sayth of him as followeth.

      Sir P. Sidney & A. Golding, translation of P. de Mornay, Trewnesse of Christian Religion iii. 40
   2. 1623

      > He [sc. God] was that Ceres which filled their gardens with Corne, hee that Zeus which viuificated and made nature fertile.

      E. Chaloner, Sixe Sermons 225
   3. 1678

      > The more intelligent of the Greekish Pagans, did frequently understand by Zeus, that Supreme Unmade Deity, who was the Maker of the World.

      R. Cudworth, True Intellectual System of Universe i. iv. 258
   4. 1706

      > The old Egyptian Theologers..did not absolutely confound or identifie Zeus or Isis with the Universal Matter.

      R. Brocklesby, Explication of Gospel-theism i. ix. 158/2
   5. 1794

      > The literate Greeks worshipped their Jupiter, Zeus or Upatos.

      J. Hare, Ess. Necessity Revealed Religion 146
   6. 1831

      > Hades, the brother of Zeus and Poseidon, was lord of the subterrane region, the abode of the dead.

      T. Keightley, Mythology of Ancient Greece & Italy 68
   7. 1871

      > By Zeus, said Ctesippus, interrupting, I only wish that you would give me some proof.

      B. Jowett, translation of Plato, Dialogues vol. I. 211
   8. 1911

      > In a cave of Cyllene Maia became by Zeus the mother of the god Hermes.

      Encyclopædia Britannica vol. XVII. 427/2
   9. 1971

      > You remember in the Iliad when..Zeus deplores the sight of deathless beings involved in the pointless horrors of morality?

      I. Murdoch, Accidental Man 93
   10. 2007

       > Apollo..was the son of Zeus and a Titaness called Leto.

       P. Wilkinson & N. Philip, Mythology 48/1
   ancient Greek history
2. 2.
   1721–
   allusively A paramount ruling force or being in the universe; a person who displays characteristics usually associated with Zeus, such as supreme power, voracious sexual appetite, etc.
   1. 1721

      > No Michael, Zeus, or Peter Paul, Coul'd e'er produce among 'em all, So glorious an Original.

      E. Ward, Merry Travellers: Part I 7
   2. 1849

      > ‘I have just been to see our Zeus or Pluto, whichever you like to call him.’ ‘The Emperor!’

      M. Norman, translation of L. Rellstab, Eighteen Hundred & Twelve vol. I. ii. iii. 89
   3. 1876

      > The Zeus of Weimar himself [sc. Goethe] by no means hesitated to occupy the post of a Prince's Minister.

      Fraser's Magazine May 668/1
   4. 1878

      > Instead of blaming herself for the issue, she laid the fault upon the shoulders of some indistinct Zeus or colossal Ozymandias who had framed her situation and ruled her lot.

      T. Hardy in Harper's Magazine October 763/1
   5. 1964

      > He himself remained at his post at the pleasure of the Zeus of the Communist Olympus, i.e. Stalin in his Kremlin.

      E. Lengyel, From Prison to Power vii. 269
   6. 2008

      > So what aphrodisiacs work best for the wife of this modern-day Zeus?

      Edmonton (Alberta) Journal (Nexis) 3 August b7
   classical mythology fish allusive
   1. lightener 1598–
      With the. Usually with capital initial. A name for: Zeus (or Jupiter), the god of lightning in Greek (or Roman) mythology. Often literary and poetic.
   2. Zeus 1721–
      allusively A paramount ruling force or being in the universe; a person who displays characteristics usually associated with Zeus, such as supreme…
   3. All-Father 1844–
      Chiefly with the. The father of all, the universal father; a name given to various supreme gods, esp… (A title of) the ancient Greek god Zeus…
   View in Historical Thesaurus
   1. Zeus 1601–
      Formerly: the John Dory fish, Zeus faber (family Zeidae); (also) any of several other fishes formerly placed in the genus Zeus (now rare or obsolete)…
   2. Zeus 1721–
      allusively A paramount ruling force or being in the universe; a person who displays characteristics usually associated with Zeus, such as supreme…
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/z(j)uːs/
zyooss

### U.S. English

/zus/
zooss

####

##### 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

## Compounds & derived words

1. 1839–
   General attributive, objective, instrumental, etc.
   1. 1839

      > Cretan Zeus-worship.

      T. Mitchell in Aristophanes, Frogs Add. 411
   2. a1861

      > You are the hatefullest to me of the Zeus-fed princes.

      A. H. Clough, Poems & Prose Remains (1869) vol. II. 464
   3. 1875

      > The hapless Zeus-born offspring.

      R. Browning, Aristophanes' Apology 285
   4. 1880

      > Legends of warlike deeds done by Zeus-nourished kings.

      R. C. Jebb in Encyclopædia Britannica vol. XI. 140/1
   5. 1904

      > The principal Zeus-cult of the Peloponnese was that on Mt. Lycaeus in Arcadia.

      Classical Review vol. 18 87/2
   6. 1963

      > An aristocracy of fairhaired Zeus-worshipping Acaeans.

      Times Literary Supplement 19 April 261/1
   7. 2010

      > It was thronged with painters, sculptors, and Zeus-browed critics.

      Vanity Fair (New York) September 227/2

Zeus, n.¹ was revised in June 2018.

Zeus, n.¹ was last modified in December 2024.