zealousness, n.

zealousness
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zealousness_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2018

# zealousnessnoun

## Earlier version

- zealousness in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zealousness mean?

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

### How common is the noun zealousness?

About 0.05occurrences per million words in modern written English

1790 | 0.0045
1800 | 0.0056
1810 | 0.0061
1820 | 0.0064
1830 | 0.0063
1840 | 0.0078
1850 | 0.0084
1860 | 0.0093
1870 | 0.01
1880 | 0.012
1890 | 0.013
1900 | 0.017
1910 | 0.02
1920 | 0.023
1930 | 0.027
1940 | 0.032
1950 | 0.036
1960 | 0.041
1970 | 0.044
1980 | 0.048
1990 | 0.05
2000 | 0.051
2010 | 0.051

### How is the noun zealousness pronounced?

#### British English

/ˈzɛləsnəs/
ZEL-uhss-nuhss

#### U.S. English

/ˈzɛləsnəs/
ZEL-uhss-nuhss

### Where does the noun zealousness come from?

Earliest known use

mid 1500s

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

OED's earliest evidence for zealousness is from around 1555, in Letter to Freewillers.

zealousness is formed within English, by derivation.

Etymons: zealous adj., ‑ness suffix.

### Nearby entries

1. zealist, n. 1614–
2. zealless, adj. a1594–
3. zealot, n. & adj. a1400–
4. zealotic, adj. 1657–
5. zealotical, adj. 1630–
6. zealotism, n. 1645–
7. zealotist, n. & adj. 1593–
8. zealotry, n. 1653–
9. zealous, adj.?1495–
10. zealously, adv.?1495–
11. zealousness, n.c1555–
12. zealousy, n. 1542–
13. zeal-pretending, adj. 1652–69
14. zeal-quenching, adj. 1688–1877
15. zeal-scoffing, adj. 1605
16. zeal-transported, adj. a1644–59
17. zeal-worthy, adj. 1797
18. zea maize, n. 1811–
19. zearalanol, n. 1966–
20. zearalenone, n. 1966–
21. zeatin, n. 1963–

## Etymology

### Summary

Formed within English, by derivation.
< zealous adj. + ‑ness suffix.

## Meaning & use

1. c1555–
   The quality of being zealous; zeal, enthusiasm.
   1. c1555

      > Mark..Christ's Words, which he spake with Zealousnes and Power.

      Letter to Freewillers in J. Strype, Ecclesiastical Memorials (1721) vol. III. App. xliii. 122
   2. 1579

      > The old Fathers grew out of a zealousnes of the mynde towardes God..to institute certaine Ceremonies.

      in W. Wilkinson, Confutation Familye of Loue sig. A iv
   3. 1602

      > The Spirit of God himselfe by this holy meditation lifteth vs vp to such a zealousnesse in prayer.

      F. Marbury, Serm. preached at Paules Crosse sig. C
   4. c1662

      > The Zealousness of our Endeavours.

      R. Boyle, Some Motives Love of God (1708) 169
   5. 1795

      > Mrs. Billington, with that zealousness of friendship, and warmth of good nature..strove to support her spirits.

      J. Haslewood, Secret Hist. Green-room (new edition) vol. II. 381
   6. 1803

      > I will not betray his confidence nor that zealousness in his cause which he has a right to expect.

      Annual Register, Chron. 608/1
   7. 1903

      > It is difficult to draw the line between zealousness and zealotry.

      D. McLean, Stud. Apostles xiii. 194
   8. 1953

      > The local bosses, and..the church authorities joined with a zealousness worthy a better cause.

      American Slavic & East European Review vol. 12 212
   9. 2011

      > Their religious zealousness is obvious.

      Social & Econ. Studies vol. 60 68
   1. jealouste a1382–82
      Jealousy; zeal.
   2. yeveroushead a1400
      Desire, eagerness.
   3. zeal a1413–
      Passionate enthusiasm for or dedication to a cause, belief, undertaking, etc.; vehement, eager, or… As a count noun. Now somewhat rare.
   4. zeal c1425–
      Passionate enthusiasm for or dedication to a cause, belief, undertaking, etc.; vehement, eager, or… As a mass noun.
   5. jealousy 1436–1565
      Zeal or vehemence of feeling in favour of a person or thing; devotion, eagerness, anxiety to serve. Obsolete.
   6. eagerness c1450–1678
      Impetuosity, fierceness. Obsolete.
   7. heartiness c1475–
      The quality or condition of being hearty (in various senses of the adjective).
   8. estudy 1483
      Care, desire, zeal; = study, n.
   9. fierceness 1533–
      Eagerness. †Const. to with infinitive.
   10. zealousness c1555–
       The quality of being zealous; zeal, enthusiasm.
   11. zealousy c1565–
       Zeal, zealousness.
   12. edge 1580–1867
       figurative and in extended use. Enthusiasm. Obsolete.
   13. warmth 1600–
       An excited or fervent state of the feelings; strength or glow of feeling; fervent or vehement character (of an expression, welcome, salute, etc.)…
   14. empressement 1709–
       Enthusiasm, effusiveness; animated display of friendliness.
   15. enthusiasm 1717–
       Originally: rapturous intensity of feeling in favour of a particular cause, principle, etc.; passionate eagerness or zeal in the pursuit of an…
   16. full-heartedness 1820–
       Wholehearted enthusiasm or commitment; (also) strong emotional investment.
   17. entrain 1847–
       Enthusiasm, liveliness; an instance of this.
   18. impressment 1854–
       Earnestness, ardour.
   19. fanaticism 1855–
       In a weaker sense: Eagerness or enthusiasm in any pursuit.
   20. keenness 1875–
       Intensity of feeling or action; eagerness, incisiveness.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈzɛləsnəs/
ZEL-uhss-nuhss

### U.S. English

/ˈzɛləsnəs/
ZEL-uhss-nuhss

####

##### 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

See zealous adj. and ‑ness suffix.

## Frequency

zealousness typically occurs about 0.05 times per million words in modern written English.

zealousness is in frequency band 3, which contains words occurring between 0.01 and 0.1 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 zealousness, n., 1790–2010

* 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
--- | ---
1790 | 0.0045
1800 | 0.0056
1810 | 0.0061
1820 | 0.0064
1830 | 0.0063
1840 | 0.0078
1850 | 0.0084
1860 | 0.0093
1870 | 0.01
1880 | 0.012
1890 | 0.013
1900 | 0.017
1910 | 0.02
1920 | 0.023
1930 | 0.027
1940 | 0.032
1950 | 0.036
1960 | 0.041
1970 | 0.044
1980 | 0.048
1990 | 0.05
2000 | 0.051
2010 | 0.051

### Frequency of zealousness, n., 2017–2024

* Occurrences per million words in written English

Modern frequency series are derived from a corpus of 20 billion words, covering the period from 2017 to the present. The corpus is mainly compiled from online news sources, and covers all major varieties of World English.

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 corpus.

Period | Frequency per million words
--- | ---
2017 | 0.013
2018 | 0.013
2019 | 0.011
2020 | 0.011
2021 | 0.011
2022 | 0.0096
2023 | 0.0093
2024 | 0.01

## Compounds & derived words

Sort by

1. overzealousness, n. 1849–
   The quality of being overzealous; excessive zeal.

zealousness, n. was revised in June 2018.

zealousness, n. was last modified in July 2023.