Zeus-like, adj. & adv.

zeus-like
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zeus-like_adj%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
First published 2018

# Zeus-likeadjective & adverb

## Factsheet

### What does the word Zeus-like mean?

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

Zeus-like has developed meanings and uses in subjects including

ancient Greek history (1850s) classical mythology (1850s)

### How common is the word Zeus-like?

Fewer than 0.01occurrences per million words in modern written English

1850 | 0.0003
1860 | 0.0005
1870 | 0.0007
1880 | 0.0009
1890 | 0.0013
1900 | 0.0013
1910 | 0.0017
1920 | 0.0019
1930 | 0.0022
1940 | 0.0024
1950 | 0.0027
1960 | 0.0028
1970 | 0.0034
1980 | 0.0037
1990 | 0.0039
2000 | 0.004
2010 | 0.0041

### How is the word Zeus-like pronounced?

#### British English

/ˈz(j)uːslʌɪk/
ZYOOSS-lighk

#### U.S. English

/ˈzusˌlaɪk/
ZOOSS-lighk

### Where does the word Zeus-like come from?

Earliest known use

1850s

The earliest known use of the word Zeus-like is in the 1850s.

OED's earliest evidence for Zeus-like is from 1850, in a translation by J. Leitch.

From a proper name, combined with an English element.

Etymons: proper name Zeus, ‑like suffix.

### Nearby entries

1. zeugma, n. c1450–
2. zeugmatic, adj. 1851–
3. zeugmatical, adj. 1610–
4. zeugmatically, adv. 1616–
5. zeugmatogram, n. 1973–
6. zeugmatographic, adj. 1973–
7. zeugmatography, n. 1973–
8. zeunerite, n. 1873–
9. Zeus, n.¹ 1587–
10. Zeus, n.² 1601–
11. Zeus-like, adj. & adv.1850–
12. Zeuxian, adj. 1635–
13. Zeuxis, n. 1577–
14. Zeuxis-like, adj. 1665–
15. zeuxite, n. 1836–
16. zeze, n. 1860–
17. Zhdanovism, n. 1958–
18. Zhdanovist, adj. 1966–
19. Zhdanovite, adj. 1957–
20. zho, n. 1841–
21. zhomo, n. 1841–

## Etymology

### Summary

From a proper name, combined with an English element.
Etymons: proper name Zeus, ‑like suffix.
< the name of Zeus (see Zeus n.1) + ‑like suffix…
< the name of Zeus (see Zeus n.1) + ‑like suffix.

### Notes

In quot. 1850 at sense A after German Zeus-ähnlich (1848 in the passage translated).

## Meaning & use

1. adjective
   1. 1850–
      Resembling (that of) the ancient Greek god Zeus; characteristic of or befitting Zeus.
      1. 1850

         > Zeus-like dominion over hostile elements.

         J. Leitch, translation of K. O. Müller, Ancient Art (new edition) 411
      2. 1899

         > A man with an eagle eye and a Zeuslike intellect.

         Daily Review (Decatur, Illinois) 21 May
      3. 1920

         > This Zeus-like punishment of erring Greeks would immediately..recoil on the heads of those who planned it.

         Times 30 November 13/2
      4. 1994

         > Cutler used to be regarded as a Zeus-like figure in Washington, but he has now been exposed as just another well-heeled hired gun.

         American Spectator October 24/2
      5. 2006

         > Stanton..looked ready to hurl Zeus-like thunderbolts at anyone or anything that displeased him.

         T. J. Fleming, Secret Trial of Robert E. Lee ix. 116
      ancient Greek history classical mythology
2. adverb
   1. 1880–
      In the manner of Zeus.
      1. 1880

         > The majestic, concentrated brow of Zeus softened in one more broad and tender, but passing, strong and Zeus-like, into the straight Grecian nose.

         American Art Review vol. 1 27
      2. 1920

         > A new gubernatorial candidate was to spring, Zeus-like, into being.

         Waterloo (Iowa) Evening Courier 27 February 4/2
      3. 1980

         > Nina McKenna perched Zeus-like at the top of a hill.., surveying the carnival of colors that whizzed by her feet.

         Washington Post 7 January (Metro section) c1/2
      4. 2005

         > His right arm..vertical and fully extended, Zeus-like, as if releasing lightning bolts.

         G. M. Pomerantz, Wilt, 1962 xx. 176

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈz(j)uːslʌɪk/
ZYOOSS-lighk

### U.S. English

/ˈzusˌlaɪk/
ZOOSS-lighk

####

##### 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

## Frequency

Zeus-like typically occurs fewer than 0.01 times per million words in modern written English.

Zeus-like is in frequency band 2, which contains words occurring between 0.001 and 0.01 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 Zeus-like, adj. & adv., 1850–2010

* 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
--- | ---
1850 | 0.0003
1860 | 0.0005
1870 | 0.0007
1880 | 0.0009
1890 | 0.0013
1900 | 0.0013
1910 | 0.0017
1920 | 0.0019
1930 | 0.0022
1940 | 0.0024
1950 | 0.0027
1960 | 0.0028
1970 | 0.0034
1980 | 0.0037
1990 | 0.0039
2000 | 0.004
2010 | 0.0041

Zeus-like, adj. & adv. was first published in June 2018.

Zeus-like, adj. & adv. was last modified in July 2023.