zymophyte, n.

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

# zymophytenoun

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zymophyte mean?

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

#### British English

/ˈzʌɪməfʌɪt/
ZIGH-muh-fight

#### U.S. English

/ˈzaɪməˌfaɪt/
ZIGH-muh-fight

### Where does the noun zymophyte come from?

Earliest known use

1890s

The earliest known use of the noun zymophyte is in the 1890s.

OED's only evidence for zymophyte is from 1890, in a dictionary by John S. Billings.

### Nearby entries

1. zymoid, adj. & n. 1891–
2. zymological, adj. 1828–
3. zymologist, n. 1828–
4. zymology, n. 1753–
5. zymolysis, n. 1890–
6. zymolytic, adj. 1890–
7. zymome, n. 1820–31
8. zymometer, n. 1842–
9. zymophore, adj. 1900–
10. zymophoric, adj. 1902–
11. zymophyte, n.1890–
12. zymosan, n. 1943–
13. zymoscope, n. 1868–
14. zymosimeter, n. 1704–
15. zymosis, n. 1842–
16. zymotechnic, adj. 1896–
17. zymotechnical, adj. 1900–
18. zymotechnologist, n. 1896–
19. zymotechny, n. 1860–
20. zymotic, adj. & n. 1842–
21. zymotoxic, adj. 1902–

## Etymology

‑phyte comb. form.

## Meaning & use

1. 1890–
   A vegetable organism which causes fermentation.
   Stressed as ˈzymophyte.
   1. 1890

      > Zymophytes, bacteroid ferments that liberate fatty acids from neutral fats.

      J. S. Billings, National Medical Dictionary vol. II
   microbiology
   1. sporule 1836–
      A spore or spore-granule. In Zoology.
   2. microphyte 1859–
      Any microscopic or very small organism considered (or at one time considered) to belong to the plant kingdom; esp. a microscopic alga. Cf. microzoary…
   3. microzoon 1859–
      A microscopic animal organism; (later) spec. a microscopic metazoan. Usually in plural.
   4. microzoary 1863
      = microzoon, n.
   5. mycetes 1874–
      With plural agreement. Originally: fungi and bacteria (considered as a division of the vegetable kingdom). Now: spec. fungi, esp. microscopic…
   6. spore 1876–
      Zoology and Biology. A very minute germ or organism.
   7. microbe 1880–
      An extremely small living organism, a microorganism; esp. a bacterium causing disease or fermentation. Also in extended use.
   8. microorganism 1880–
      An organism so small as to be visible only under a microscope; esp. a bacterium, fungus, or alga.
   9. microzooid 1881–
      A relatively or abnormally small zooid (in its earlier and wider sense).
   10. microbion 1883–
       = microbe, n. Usually in plural.
   11. bug 1885–
       colloquial (originally U.S.). A harmful microorganism or virus; a germ. Cf. superbug, n. 1.
   12. macrospore 1888–
       Biology. A large spore (usually the larger of two types of spore) produced by various protoctists.
   13. microzoan 1890–
       A microscopic animal organism; = microzoon, n.
   14. microzoarian 1890
       A microscopic animal organism; = microzoon, n.
   15. zymophyte 1890–
       A vegetable organism which causes fermentation.
   16. germ 1897–
       Originally: the causative agent or source of a disease, esp. an infectious disease. In later use: a bacterium or other microorganism, esp. when…
   17. bot 1937–
       New Zealand colloquial. In singular, chiefly with the. Originally: a germ. In later use: a minor illness; a cold, etc.
   18. probiotic 1974–
       A microorganism, or (in early use) a substance, used to restore or modify the composition of the microflora of a compartment of the body (esp. the…
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈzʌɪməfʌɪt/
ZIGH-muh-fight

### U.S. English

/ˈzaɪməˌfaɪt/
ZIGH-muh-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 zymo-, comb. form

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