Zeiss, n.

zeiss
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zeiss_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2018

# Zeissnoun

## Earlier version

- Zeiss in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the noun Zeiss mean?

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

### How is the noun Zeiss pronounced?

#### British English

/zʌɪs/
zighss

#### U.S. English

/zaɪs/
zighss

### Where does the noun Zeiss come from?

Earliest known use

1870s

The earliest known use of the noun Zeiss is in the 1870s.

OED's earliest evidence for Zeiss is from 1876, in Monthly Microsc. Journal.

From a proper name.

Etymons: proper name Zeiss.

### Nearby entries

1. Zeelandic, adj. 1802–
2. Zeelandish, adj. 1593–
3. Zeeman, n. 1897–
4. zeep, n. 1878–
5. zeep, v. 1886–
6. zeeping, adj. 1895–
7. zef, adj. 1990–
8. zegadine, n. 1651–
9. zeilanite, n. 1815–
10. zein, n. 1820–
11. Zeiss, n.1876–
12. zeitgeber, n. 1958–
13. zeitgeist, n. 1848–
14. zeitgeisty, adj. 1966–
15. zek, n. 1968–
16. zelant, n. 1624–26
17. zelatrice, n. 1874–
18. zelatrix, n. 1865–
19. Zeldovich, n. 1956–
20. Zelig, n. 1984–
21. Zelig-like, adj. 1983–

## Etymology

### Summary

From a proper name.
Etymon: proper name Zeiss.
< the name of Carl Zeiss (1816–88), German optical instrument maker, who founded a company manufacturing optical instruments in Jena in 1846.

## Meaning & use

1. 1876–
   attributive. Designating lenses and optical equipment (esp. binoculars) manufactured by the firm founded by Carl Zeiss. Esp. in Zeiss binoculars.
   A proprietary name in the United Kingdom.
   1. 1876

      > Having referred to the Zeiss lenses, I ought in justice to add that I find them..well worthy the attention of all who may not require the highest attainable perfection.

      Monthly Microsc. Journal February 96
   2. 1905

      > Now I will stop, and use my Zeiss glass on the land, which is getting nearer.

      W. James, Letter 3 April (1920) vol. II. 224
   3. 1912

      > He had his Zeiss glasses in his hand.

      A. Conan Doyle, Lost World viii. 126
   4. 1938

      > I have worshipped her from afar... All last June, through Zeiss glasses.

      S. Beckett, Murphy iv. 60
   5. 1971

      > There were..Zeiss binoculars..at the back of the glove compartment.

      R. Dentry, Encounter at Kharmel vii. 127
   6. 1983

      > The luckiest found Leica cameras and Zeiss binoculars.

      T. Pocock, 1945 vii. 217
   7. 2016

      > It has a 20x zoom and versatile Zeiss lens, capable of capturing wide angle and telephoto scenes.

      Sunday Times (Nexis) 7 February (Features section) 34
   optics
   1. Zeiss 1876–
      attributive. Designating lenses and optical equipment (esp. binoculars) manufactured by the firm founded by Carl Zeiss. Esp. in Zeiss binoculars. A proprietary name in the United Kingdom.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/zʌɪs/
zighss

### U.S. English

/zaɪs/
zighss

####

##### 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

Zeiss, n. was revised in June 2018.

Zeiss, n. was last modified in July 2023.