zygophyte, n.

zygophyte
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zygophyte_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
First published 1921; not fully revised

# zygophytenoun

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zygophyte mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zygophyte. 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 is the noun zygophyte pronounced?

#### British English

/ˈzʌɪɡəfʌɪt/
ZIGH-guh-fight
/ˈzɪɡəfʌɪt/
ZIG-uh-fight

#### U.S. English

/ˈzaɪɡəˌfaɪt/
ZIGH-guh-fight
/ˈzɪɡəˌfaɪt/
ZIG-uh-fight

### Where does the noun zygophyte come from?

Earliest known use

1880s

The earliest known use of the noun zygophyte is in the 1880s.

OED's only evidence for zygophyte is from 1885, in the writing of George Goodale.

### Nearby entries

1. zygomorphism, n. 1875–
2. zygomorphous, adj. 1879–
3. Zygomycetes, n. 1887–
4. zygomycetous, adj. 1928–
5. zygon, n. 1886–
6. zygonema, n. 1911–
7. zygoneurous, adj. 1901–
8. zygophiuran, adj. & n. 1892–
9. zygophore, n. 1904–
10. zygophyllaceous, adj. 1887–
11. zygophyte, n.1885–
12. zygopleura, n. 1883–
13. zygopterid, n. & adj. 1900–
14. zygosis, n. 1880–
15. zygosity, n. 1952–
16. zygosome, n. 1905–
17. zygosperm, n. 1880–
18. zygosphenal, adj. 1854–
19. zygosphene, n. 1854–
20. zygosphere, n. 1880–
21. zygospondyline, adj. 1892–

## Etymology

Greek ϕυτόν plant.

## Meaning & use

1. 1885–
   A plant which reproduces by conjugation.
   1. 1885

      > The sexual process in Zygophytes is characterized by the confluence of the protoplasmic masses of two very similar cells by which a new mass is formed as the starting-point of the new individual.

      G. L. Goodale in A. Gray & G. L. Goodale, Botanical Text-book (ed. 6) vol. II. ii. xiv. 439
   fungi
   1. acrogen 1834–
      A cryptogam (flowerless plant) having a distinct perennial stem with the growing point at its extremity, such as a fern or a moss.
   2. endophyte 1835–
      †a. (See quot. 1835); b. a plant growing inside another, an internal fungus.
   3. oophore 1875–86
      A gametophyte, esp. of a vascular cryptogam.
   4. zygophyte 1885–
      A plant which reproduces by conjugation.
   5. oophyte 1886–
      A gametophyte; esp. the prothallus of a fern.
   6. microgametophyte 1907–
      A gametophyte that develops from a microspore; a male gametophyte.
   7. megagametophyte 1915–
      A gametophyte that develops from a megaspore; a female gametophyte.
   8. macrogametophyte 1931–
      = megagametophyte, n.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈzʌɪɡəfʌɪt/
ZIGH-guh-fight
/ˈzɪɡəfʌɪt/
ZIG-uh-fight

### U.S. English

/ˈzaɪɡəˌfaɪt/
ZIGH-guh-fight
/ˈzɪɡəˌfaɪt/
ZIG-uh-fight

####

##### 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

Originally published as part of the entry for zygo-, comb. form

zygo-, comb. form was first published in 1921; not fully revised.