Zamzummim, n.

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

# Zamzummimnoun

## Earlier version

- Zamzummim in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the noun Zamzummim mean?

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

#### British English

/zamˈzʌmɪm/
zam-ZUM-im

#### U.S. English

/zæmˈzəməm/
zam-ZUM-uhm

### Where does the noun Zamzummim come from?

Earliest known use

mid 1500s

The earliest known use of the noun Zamzummim is in the mid 1500s.

OED's earliest evidence for Zamzummim is from 1530, in the New Testament.

Zamzummim is a borrowing from Hebrew.

Etymons: Hebrew zamzummīm.

### Nearby entries

1. Zamia, n. 1819–
2. zamindar, n. 1683–
3. zamindari, n. & adj. 1742–
4. zamindarship, n. 1698–1902
5. zamioid, adj. 1860–
6. zamorin, n. 1582–
7. zampino, n. 1881–
8. zampogna, n. 1740–
9. zampone, n. 1860–
10. zamzawed, adj. 1743–
11. Zamzummim, n.1530–
12. Zande, n. 1873–
13. zander, n. 1854–
14. zanella, n. 1876–
15. zanily, adv. 1936–
16. zaniness, n. 1933–
17. Zante, n. 1615–
18. Zantedeschia, n. 1836–
19. ZANU, n. 1963–
20. zany, n. & adj. 1582–
21. zany, v. 1602–1894

## Etymology

### Summary

A borrowing from Hebrew.
Etymon: Hebrew zamzummīm.
< Hebrew zamzummīm, plural.

## Meaning & use

1. 1530–
   A name of ‘a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims’ (Deuteronomy ii. 21); used allusively or figuratively
   1. 1530

      > That also was taken for a londe of geauntes and geauntes dwelt therin in olde tyme, and the Ammonites called them Zamzumyms.

      Bible (Tyndale) Deuteronomy ii. f. iiiiv
   2. 1531

      > Haue they not compelled the emperoures of the erth..to be their tormentoures, and the samsumims them selves do but imagen mischefe and inspire them.

      W. Tyndale, Answere Mores Dialoge f. iiij
   3. 1628

      > Aiax, Caligula, and the rest of those great Zanzummins, or giganticall Anakims.

      R. Burton, Anatomy of Melancholy (ed. 3) ii.iii.ii. 290
   4. a1649

      > Such Numbers of arm'd Enemies, so many Nimrods, Zanzummims, Adversaries to our Opinions.

      W. Drummond, Skiamachia in Works (1711) 201
   5. 1660

      > Those two great Zanzummines of Church and State, the Arch-bishop of Canterbury, and the Earl of Strafford.

      England's Monarchy Asserted 9
   mythology allusive
   1. Ascapart c1330–
      A legendary giant defeated by the eponymous protagonist in the story of Sir Bevis of Southampton; a person likened to this giant.
   2. Zamzummim 1530–
      A name of ‘a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims’ (Deuteronomy ii. 21); used allusively or figuratively
   3. Fomor 1705–
      In Irish legend: a member of a fearsome people, usually considered to be giants or pirates, which inhabited Ireland until defeated by the Tuatha Dé…
   4. Fomorian 1763–
      In Irish legend: a member of a fearsome people, usually considered to be giants or pirates, which inhabited Ireland until defeated by the Tuatha Dé…
   5. frost giant 1828–
      One of a race of giants associated with ice and cold; = ice giant, n. 1.
   6. ice giant 1832–
      Scandinavian Mythology. = frost giant, n.
   7. jotun 1842–
      One of a supernatural race of giants in Scandinavian mythology.
   8. frost-power 1863–89
      = frost giant, n.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/zamˈzʌmɪm/
zam-ZUM-im

### U.S. English

/zæmˈzəməm/
zam-ZUM-uhm

####

##### 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

## Forms

### Variant forms

Also 1500s Zamzumym, Samsumim, 1600s Zanzummin(e, -im.

Zamzummim, n. was first published in 1921; not fully revised.

Zamzummim, n. was last modified in June 2025.