zami, n.

zami
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zami_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
First published 2021

# zaminoun

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zami mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zami. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.

This word is used in Caribbean English.

### How common is the noun zami?

Fewer than 0.01occurrences per million words in modern written English

1970 | 0.0029
1980 | 0.0029
1990 | 0.0029
2000 | 0.0029
2010 | 0.003

### How is the noun zami pronounced?

#### British English

/ˈzami/
ZAM-ee

#### U.S. English

/ˈzæmi/
ZAM-ee

#### Caribbean English

/ˈzami/

### Where does the noun zami come from?

Earliest known use

1970s

The earliest known use of the noun zami is in the 1970s.

OED's earliest evidence for zami is from 1977, in the writing of D. R. Hill.

zami is a borrowing from French Creole.

Etymons: French Creole zami.

### Nearby entries

1. zama zama, n. 2006–
2. Zamazim, n. a1400–
3. Zambian, adj. & n. 1959–
4. Zambianization, n. 1964–
5. Zambianize, v. 1964–
6. zambo, n. 1819–
7. Zamboni, n. 1965–
8. zambra, n. 1672–
9. zambuk, n. 1906–
10. zamburak, n. 1825–
11. zami, n.1977–
12. Zamia, n. 1819–
13. zamindar, n. 1683–
14. zamindari, n. & adj. 1742–
15. zamindarship, n. 1698–1902
16. zamioid, adj. 1860–
17. zamorin, n. 1582–
18. zampino, n. 1881–
19. zampogna, n. 1740–
20. zampone, n. 1860–
21. zamzawed, adj. 1743–

## Etymology

### Summary

A borrowing from French Creole.
Etymon: French Creole zami.
< French Creole zami, zamie friend, shortened < (i) French des amies (plural, with silent final ‑s) < des indefinite plural article + the plural of amie female friend (see amie n.) and (ii) French les amies…
< French Creole zami, zamie friend, shortened < (i) French des amies (plural, with silent final ‑s) < des indefinite plural article + the plural of amie female friend (see amie n.) and (ii) French les amies < les definite plural article + the plural of amie.

### Notes

In spoken French the masculine ami and the feminine amie (and their plural forms) are homophones, but the sense suggests that the feminine noun underlies the French Creole word in this use.

## Meaning & use

Caribbean.

1. 1977–
   A lesbian; a homosexual woman.
   1. 1977

      > One recourse for a woman whose husband is away for a long period is to become a ‘zami’... Zamis are lesbians.

      D. R. Hill, Impact Migration on Metrop. & Folk Soc. Carriacou, Grenada vi. 280/1
   2. 2013

      > Inside our diverse, complicated, ever-evolving communities..we are (and have been) butches, femmes, gay women, dykes, bi women, pansexuals, lipstick lesbians, bois, studs, zamis.

      Diva February 25/1
   3. 2021

      > If any boy becomes interested in me, I represent myself as a zami.

      @Majestic_eagle7 27 October in twitter.com (accessed 1 Dec. 2020)
   Caribbean English
   1. tribade 1585–
      A woman who engages in sexual activity with other women; a lesbian. Cf. tribadism, n.
   2. fricatrice 1607–
      A woman who engages in sexual activity involving genital contact with other women; (hence generally) a lesbian. Cf. tribade, n., rubster, n. 2…
   3. rubster 1657–
      A woman who engages in sexual activity involving genital contact with other women; (hence generally) a lesbian. Cf. tribade, n., fricatrice, n. rare…
   4. lesbian 1732–
      A woman who engages in sexual activity with other women; a woman who is sexually or romantically attracted (esp. wholly or largely) to other…
   5. Tommy 1773–
      A woman who is romantically attracted to or sexually active with other women; a lesbian. historical and rare after 18th cent.
   6. Sapphist 1789–
      A woman who engages in sexual activity with other women, or who is sexually or romantically attracted to other women; = lesbian, n. A.2. Cf. Sapphic…
   7. cunt-sucker 1868–
      a. A person who performs cunnilingus; b. (derogatory) a despicable person; c. (offensive and chiefly derogatory) a lesbian.
   8. cunt lapper 1916–
      a. A person who performs cunnilingus; b. (offensive and chiefly derogatory) a lesbian; c. derogatory a despicable or highly annoying person.
   9. lez 1929–
      colloquial (now generally regarded as offensive). A lesbian; a homosexual woman.
   10. muff-diver 1930–
       coarse slang. a. A person who performs cunnilingus; b. a lesbian.
   11. dyke 1931–
       colloquial (originally U.S.). Chiefly derogatory and offensive. A lesbian. Also (now less commonly): any woman whose appearance is regarded as masculine (often used with the implication that she is a lesbian).
   12. lesbo 1931–
       colloquial (sometimes derogatory and offensive). A lesbian.
   13. lezzie?1939–
       colloquial (sometimes derogatory and offensive). A lesbian; a homosexual woman.
   14. lezzo 1941–
       Originally and chiefly Australian colloquial (frequently derogatory and offensive). A lesbian; a homosexual woman; = lezzer, n.
   15. Lizzie 1949–
       A lesbian. Also: a young man or boy characterized as unmanly or exhibiting qualities, behaviours, interests, etc., that are regarded as more…
   16. lesbie 1966–
       colloquial (sometimes derogatory and offensive). A lesbian.
   17. lezzer 1966–
       Chiefly British and Australian colloquial (frequently derogatory and offensive). A lesbian; a homosexual woman.
   18. zami 1977–
       A lesbian; a homosexual woman.
   19. rug muncher 1981–
       slang (usually derogatory and offensive). A lesbian. Also (occasionally): a man who performs cunnilingus. Cf. rug, n.³ II.7a.
   20. Sapphic 1985–
       A lesbian.
   21. carpet muncher 1992–
       slang (usually derogatory and offensive). A lesbian. Cf. carpet, n. additions, rug muncher, n.
   22. sodomitess 2005–
       rare (chiefly derogatory and offensive). A woman who engages in a form of sexual intercourse characterized as unnatural or immoral, or otherwise culturally stigmatized; (in later use) a…
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈzami/
ZAM-ee

### U.S. English

/ˈzæmi/
ZAM-ee

### Caribbean English

/ˈzami/

####

##### 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.

####

##### Consonants

- ppea
- ttea, thaw
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye, thee
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- hhay
- llay
- 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 as in British and US English.

##### Vowels

- iːfleece
- ihappy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- atrap, ago
- aːpalm, bath, thought
- aː(r)start
- ɑlot, cloth
- ʌstrut, letter
- ʊfoot
- uːgoose
- oːgoat
- ɔːthought
- oː(r)north, force, cure
- ɜː(r)nurse
- eː(r)square, near
- aʊmouth
- ɔʊmouth
- eːface
- aipride, voice
- ɔivoice
- ãsoucouyant
- ɑ̃salon

##### 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

1. 1900s–
   zami, zammie
2. 2000s–
   zamie, zammi

## Frequency

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

zami 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 zami, n., 1970–2010

* 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
--- | ---
1970 | 0.0029
1980 | 0.0029
1990 | 0.0029
2000 | 0.0029
2010 | 0.003

zami, n. was first published in September 2021.

zami, n. was last modified in July 2023.