Zeeman, n.

zeeman
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zeeman_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2018

# Zeemannoun

## Earlier version

- Zeeman in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the noun Zeeman mean?

There are two meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun Zeeman. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

### How is the noun Zeeman pronounced?

#### British English

/ˈzeɪman/
ZAY-man
/ˈziːmən/
ZEE-muhn

#### U.S. English

/ˈzeɪˌmæn/
ZAY-man
/ˈzimən/
ZEE-muhn

### Where does the noun Zeeman come from?

Earliest known use

1890s

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

OED's earliest evidence for Zeeman is from 1897, in Abstr. Physical Papers Foreign Sources.

From a proper name.

Etymons: proper name Zeeman.

### Nearby entries

1. zecchino, n. 1572–
2. Zechstein, n. 1798–
3. zed, n. c1175–
4. zedbed, n. 1954–
5. zedoary, n. Old English–
6. zedonk, n. 1961–
7. zee, n. 1580–
8. Zeelander, n. c1400–
9. Zeelandic, adj. 1802–
10. Zeelandish, adj. 1593–
11. Zeeman, n.1897–
12. zeep, n. 1878–
13. zeep, v. 1886–
14. zeeping, adj. 1895–
15. zef, adj. 1990–
16. zegadine, n. 1651–
17. zeilanite, n. 1815–
18. zein, n. 1820–
19. Zeiss, n. 1876–
20. zeitgeber, n. 1958–
21. zeitgeist, n. 1848–

## Etymology

### Summary

From a proper name.
Etymon: proper name Zeeman.
< the name of Pieter Zeeman (1865–1943), Dutch physicist, who first described the effect in 1896 (in Verh. Physikal. Ges. Berlin vol. 15 128–30).

## Meaning & use

Physics.

1. 1.
   1897–
   Zeeman effect noun
   An effect whereby a line in the spectrum of an atom or molecule (esp. an emission spectrum; cf. inverse Zeeman effect n.) is split into a number of closely spaced component lines by a magnetic field; cf. Paschen–Back effect n., Stark effect at Stark n.4
   anomalous Zeeman effect noun now chiefly historical a form of the Zeeman effect in which an even number of lines is produced rather than the expected odd number, theoretically unexplained before the discovery of electron spin in the 1920s. inverse Zeeman effect noun the splitting of lines in an absorption spectrum in the presence of a magnetic field.
   1. [1897

      > A theoretical analysis..can be developed in connexion with Zeeman's phenomenon, which may help to throw light on the nature of the electric vibrations in the molecule.

      London, Edinburgh & Dublin Philosophical Magazine 5th Series vol. 44 503]
   2. 1897

      > The rotation of the mica plate then showed at once the Zeeman effect as a displacement of one image with respect to the other.

      Abstr. Physical Papers Foreign Sources (Physical Society) vol. 3 358
   3. 1899

      > The author does not agree..that the rotation of the plane of the vibrations is the principal cause of the appearance of light in the inverse Zeeman effect.

      Science Abstracts: Physics & Electrical Engineering vol. 2 167
   4. 1913

      > Anomalous Zeeman-effect of spectral lines of the D-type.

      Science Abstracts A. vol. 16 591 (title)
   5. 1962

      > Using the Zeeman effect in spectral lines originating at high levels in the sun, he has been able to show that a flare is often accompanied by a drastic simplification of the local field.

      Rep. Progress Physics vol. 25 272
   6. 1980

      > All of these exceptional cases came to be called the anomalous Zeeman effect, although the exceptions soon proved to be much more numerous than the rule.

      E. U. Condon & H. Odabaşi, Atomic Struct. i. 14
   7. 1994

      > What we observe in astronomical spectra is mostly absorption lines superposed on continuous spectra, i.e. Fraunhofer lines. They display the so-called inverse Zeeman effect.

      Ye Shi-Hui, Magn. Fields Celestial Bodies ii. 16
   8. 2009

      > The spin of the electron was postulated in 1925 in order to explain certain features of the optical spectra of hot gases, particularly gases subjected to a magnetic field (Zeeman effect).

      B. D. Cullity & C. D. Graham, Introduction to Magnetic Materials (ed. 2) ii. 88
   magnetism spectroscopy
   1. Zeeman effect 1897–
      An effect whereby a line in the spectrum of an atom or molecule (esp. an emission spectrum; cf. inverse Zeeman effect n.) is split into a number of…
   2. Paschen–Back effect 1923–
      The splitting of spectral lines that occurs when their source is in a magnetic field so strong that the splitting of each line is comparable in…
   View in Historical Thesaurus
   1. Zeeman effect 1897–
      An effect whereby a line in the spectrum of an atom or molecule (esp. an emission spectrum; cf. inverse Zeeman effect n.) is split into a number of…
   2. Lorentz triplet 1922–
      Used attributively to designate various concepts and phenomena described by Lorentz, as Lorentz contraction n. also Lorentz-FitzGerald contraction =…
   3. Paschen–Back effect 1923–
      The splitting of spectral lines that occurs when their source is in a magnetic field so strong that the splitting of each line is comparable in…
   View in Historical Thesaurus
2. 2.
   1898–
   attributive. Relating to, caused by, or utilizing the Zeeman effect, as Zeeman splitting.
   1. 1898

      > The ‘outer lines’ of the Zeeman triplet show indications of complex structure.

      Astrophysical Journal vol. 8 45
   2. 1927

      > Each of the five hyper-fine structure lines has a triplet Zeeman pattern.

      Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences U.S.A. vol. 13 431
   3. 1962

      > There are several ways of inferring the existence of magnetic fields, of which the most direct is from a measurement of the Zeeman splitting of spectral lines.

      W. B. Thompson, Introduction to Plasma Physics i. 3
   4. 1971

      > When a nucleus is placed in a high magnetic field, each energy level splits into several sublevels known as magnetic sublevels or Zeeman levels.

      New Scientist 18 February 381/1
   5. 2009

      > Today, Zeeman lasers are available from two manufacturers.

      V. V. Protopopov, Laser Heterodyning v. 243
   spectroscopy
   1. Balmer 1891–
      Used attributively and in the possessive with reference to a series of lines discovered by Balmer in 1885 (Ann. d. Physik u. Chemie 25 80) in the…
   2. Zeeman 1898–
      attributive. Relating to, caused by, or utilizing the Zeeman effect, as Zeeman splitting.
   3. Pickering 1914–
      attributive and in the genitive, esp. in Pickering series. Designating (the lines of) a series in the spectrum of ionized helium with wave numbers…
   4. Lyman 1922–
      Used attributively to designate a series of lines (individually designated alpha, beta, etc.) discovered by Theodore Lyman in the ultraviolet part…
   5. Brackett 1930–
      Used attributively to designate a series of lines discovered by Brackett in 1922 (Astrophysical Jrnl. LVI. 154) in the infra-red part of the spectrum…
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈzeɪman/
ZAY-man
/ˈziːmən/
ZEE-muhn

### U.S. English

/ˈzeɪˌmæn/
ZAY-man
/ˈzimən/
ZEE-muhn

####

##### 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

Zeeman, n. was revised in June 2018.

Zeeman, n. was last modified in July 2023.