zouknoun
Factsheet
What does the noun zouk mean?
There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zouk. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.
How common is the noun zouk?
| 2017 | 0.015 |
| 2018 | 0.018 |
| 2019 | 0.017 |
| 2020 | 0.017 |
| 2021 | 0.018 |
| 2022 | 0.015 |
| 2023 | 0.012 |
| 2024 | 0.012 |
How is the noun zouk pronounced?
British English
U.S. English
Caribbean English
Where does the noun zouk come from?
Earliest known use
1980s
The earliest known use of the noun zouk is in the 1980s.
OED's earliest evidence for zouk is from 1986, in Reggae & Afr. Beat.
zouk is a borrowing from Antilles Creole.
Etymons: Antilles Creole zouk.
Nearby entries
- Zoroastrianize, v.1891–
- Zoroastric, adj.a1739–
- Zoroastrism, n.1819–
- zorrino, n.1885–
- zorro, n.1838–
- zos-grass, n.1937–
- zoster, n.1601–
- zostera, n.1819–
- zosterops, n.1867–
- Zouave, n.1848–
- zouk, n.1986–
- zounds, v.1680
- zounds, int.a1593–
- Zou-Zou, n.1860–
- zowie, int.1902–
- zoysia, n.1965–
- ZPG, n.1970–
- Zr, n.1814–
- zubr, n.1763–
- zubrowka, n.1916–
- zucarine, adj.a1425
Etymology
Summary
Meaning & use
- 1986–A style of popular dance music combining Caribbean (esp. French Antillean) and Western elements, and characterized by a strong fast beat derived from traditional Antillean drumming. Also: a style of dancing associated with this music.Popularized by the group Kassav' (formed in 1979).
- 1986
Zouk is hot stuff, a blending of Haitian compas and cadence rhythms with traditional elements of the Antilles like the ti bois and gwo ka rhythms.
Reggae & Afr. Beat No. 4. 27/2 - 1992
West Indian culture is highly visible here. No politicians, but superstars like the zouk bands Kassav and Malavoi.
Caribbean Week April 8/2 - 2003
Dancing the zouk in a Fort-de-France nightclub.
Daily Telegraph (Australia) (Nexis) 9 November i11 - 2011
Zouk's rise in popularity across the globe gave a rise in status for Martinicans, Guadeloupeans, and other Creole-speaking islanders.
Y. Daniel, Caribbean & Atlantic Diaspora v. 94
- a cappella1905–A cappella singing, now esp. (chiefly U.S.) regarded as a genre of popular music. Also: a musical piece sung a cappella.
- soundclash1925–Originally: an incompatibility or tension between contrasting (esp. musical) sounds, dissonance. Now: spec. a piece of popular music that contains…
- marabi1933–A type of working-class culture originating in the townships of Pretoria during the 1930s; a drinking and dancing party characteristic of this…
- easy listening1939–(A genre of) popular music that is softly melodious, undemanding, and unobtrusive.
- filk1959–Among science fiction and fantasy fans: a type of popular music, commonly performed at fan conventions, characterized by the use of familiar or…
- Tex-Mex1962–A broad genre of folk and popular music associated with Mexican American inhabitants of Texas, characterized by use of the accordion and guitar, and…
- folk-rock1963–Short for folk-music, n. So folk-rock, folk-music with a strong beat; folk club, etc.
- Liverpool sound1963–The melodic popular music associated with the Beatles and other Liverpool bands, esp. of the 1960s. Cf. Mersey sound at Mersey, n.
- Mersey beat1963–attributive. Designating or relating to the catchy, melodic popular music associated with the Beatles and other Merseyside bands, esp. of the 1960s…
- Mersey sound1963–attributive. Designating or relating to the catchy, melodic popular music associated with the Beatles and other Merseyside bands, esp. of the 1960s…
- surf music1963–A style of popular music originating in southern California in the early 1960s, associated with surfing and surf culture; spec. (a) a style of…
- malombo1964–A style of music combining elements of the music performed in traditional malombo ceremonies, esp. the drums and drumming style, with elements taken…
- mbaqanga1964–A style of jazz-influenced popular music, esp. influenced by traditional southern African forms, originating in the townships of Johannesburg in…
- disco music1966–(Originally) music for dancing of a type typically played at a disco; (later frequently spec.) = disco, n.¹ 1b.
- freak-out1966–As a modifier, designating a style of popular music associated with the 1960s counterculture and inspired or influenced by the effects of…
- Motown1966–Motown music. Cf. Tamla Motown, n.
- psychedelia1966–Psychedelic articles or phenomena collectively; spec. music, art, or culture based on the experiences produced by or associated with psychedelic…
- boogaloo1967–Also in form bugalú. A style of music developed by Spanish-speaking musicians in New York in the 1960s, fusing African American styles such as…
- power pop1967–A style of pop music characterized by loud volume, a strong melodic line with simple rhythms, heavy use of guitars and keyboards, and often…
- yé-yé1967–A style of light pop music originating in, and particularly associated with, France in the 1960s.
- agitpop1968–Popular art or music characterized by the expression of radical or alternative political and social ideas; this as a genre.
- bubblegum1968–Bubblegum music. See sense B.1.
- Tamla Motown1968–Used attributively and absol. to designate a style of music characterized by a heavy beat and influenced by gospel music, which was made popular by…
- deep soul1969–Any of various types of American soul music incorporating elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues, and typically characterized by a…
- doo-wop1969–A variety of (originally American) vocal group music, usually performed acapella or with little instrumental accompaniment, so called from the use of…
- downtempo1969–Music. Originally: music played at a slow tempo. Now usually: spec. a genre of electronic dance music characterized by a slow tempo and relaxing…
- taarab1969–A form of music originating in Zanzibar and popular in East Africa, combining Arabic singing styles with elements of African and Indian music.
- thrash1969–A short, energetic, usually uncomplicated piece or passage of (esp. jazz or rock) music, esp. one that is very fast and loud.
- world music1969–Traditional local or ethnic music, esp. from the developing world; spec. a style of commercial pop music incorporating elements of such folk…
- deep funk1970–A variety of funk music with a raw or gritty sound characterized by a heavy emphasis on rhythmic rather than melodic elements.
- funk1970–A style of popular music of African American origin, based on elements of rhythm and blues, jazz, and soul, and characterized by a prominent…
- MOR1970–= middle of the road, adj. B.2.
- tropicalism1970–= tropicalismo, n.
- Afrobeat1971–A style of popular music incorporating elements of African music and jazz, soul, and funk.
- post-rock1971–Any type of popular music composed or performed in a style markedly different from (and frequently representing a conscious reaction to) that of…
- Tropicalia1971–An artistic and cultural movement that arose in Brazil in the late 1960s, characterized by the fusion of traditional Brazilian culture with foreign…
- tropicalismo1971–= Tropicalia, n.
- Krautrock1972–Any of various experimental styles of popular music associated with German groups of the 1970s, generally characterized by an improvisatory…
- Tejano1972–Any of various styles of music associated with the Mexican American inhabitants of Texas; esp. a traditional form of this music, played by small…
- ghetto1973–As a modifier, designating a style or genre of music, esp. electronic music with a steady, consistent beat and repetitive lyrics, originating in…
- schlager1973–A genre of popular music characterized by sentimental and undemanding lyrics, simple upbeat melodies, and (in later use usually) synthesized…
- Afropop1974–Any style of African pop music; frequently attributive.
- punk funk1974–Any of various styles of music incorporating elements of punk and funk; cf. funk, n.² 3.
- disco1975–A genre of strongly rhythmical pop music mainly intended for dancing in nightclubs and particularly popular in the mid to late 1970s. Cf. earlier…
- disco funk1975–A type of music which combines elements of disco and funk.
- Europop1976–Pop music performed by musicians from continental Europe; esp. (occasionally mildly disparaging) that which is largely synthesized, with simple…
- mgqashiyo1976–A style of popular music featuring close-harmony singing (usually by a three- or four-woman group) of traditional or neo-traditional African (esp…
- P-funk1976–Music. A style of music which combines elements of funk, rap, and psychedelic rock.
- funkadelia1977–Funkadelic music (see funkadelic, adj. 1). Also occasionally in extended use: funky or funkadelic things collectively.
- karaoke music1977–A form of entertainment, originating in Japan, in which a person sings the vocal line of a popular song to the accompaniment of a pre-recorded…
- alternative music1978–Popular music which is considered to be unorthodox or outside of the mainstream; spec. = alternative rock, n.
- hardcore1978–Originally North American. Any of various forms of popular music (often a variety of an established genre) regarded as particularly uncompromising…
- nueva trova1978–A genre of popular music that developed in Cuba following the Cuban revolution (1953–9), combining elements of traditional Cuban folk music with…
- psychobilly1978–A style of popular music blending characteristics of rockabilly with the raw, aggressive performance style of punk rock, and typically having…
- punkabilly1978–A performer or fan of a style of popular music blending characteristics of rockabilly with the raw, aggressive performance style of punk rock; this…
- R&B1978–Any of various styles of popular music of African American origin, typically drawing on elements of soul, funk, disco, and hip-hop and featuring…
- cowpunk1979–A performer of a type of popular music combining elements of country and western with those of punk rock; this type of music; (also) the culture…
- dangdut1979–A style of popular music, originating in Indonesia, which combines Arab and Malay folk elements with contemporary international musical styles, and…
- Eurodisco1979–A form of disco music associated with producers from continental Europe in the late 1970s and early 1980s, characterized by a predominantly or wholly…
- hip-hop1979–A genre of popular music originating among young African Americans in New York City in the late 1970s, typically performed by DJs and MCs, and…
- Northern Soul1979–Any of various types of American soul music associated with this movement, often characterized by an energetic tempo and strong brass orchestration…
- rap1979–Music (originally U.S. colloquial). A performance in which lyrics (typically rhyming and sometimes improvised) are spoken rhythmically over a strong…
- rapping1979–Originally U.S. The performance of rap music; rhythmic speaking or recitation of lyrics in the style associated with this. Cf. rap, v.² II.8d.
- jit1980–A style of popular music originating in Zimbabwe, combining elements of traditional African music with a fast dance rhythm and a prominent…
- trance1980–Any of various types of music characterized by rhythms and sounds which are intended to be hypnotic or trance-inducing; spec. a type of electronic…
- benga1981–A style of popular music originating in Kenya, influenced by traditional Kenyan music and characterized by fast-paced rhythms and the melodic…
- New Romanticism1981–spec. (chiefly British). The subculture, or the related music or fashions, of the New Romantic movement (see New Romantic, adj. A.2).
- post-punk1981–Post-punk music. Cf. New Wave, n. A.2c.
- rap music1981–= rap, n.² III.8c.
- scratch1982–A technique, frequently used in rap music, in which a record is briefly interrupted during play and manually rotated backwards and forwards to…
- scratch-music1982–(Senses additions, additions) scratch band, scratch-music, scratch-record, scratch-tape, scratch technique, etc.
- synth-pop1982–A primarily British genre of popular music originating in the early 1980s and featuring heavy use of synthesizers and other electronic instruments…
- electro1983–A style of dance music characterized by the use of a synthesized backing track and electronically created beat.
- garage1983–The style of pop music played by or associated with garage bands (see sense additions).
- Latin1983–A style of popular music, originating in Latin America (esp. among Afro-Americans of Cuba and Brazil), characterized by its dance rhythms and by…
- Philly1983–A type of soul music associated with Philadelphia; = Philly soul at sense B
- New Age1984–As a mass noun: that which belongs to or is characteristic of the New Age; spec. New Age philosophy or culture; New Age music.
- world beat1984–A style of popular music incorporating elements of traditional (esp. non-Western) local or ethnic music; cf. world music, n.
- contemporary R&B1985–Any of various styles of popular music of African American origin, typically drawing on elements of soul, funk, disco, hip hop, and electronic dance…
- New Age music1985–A style of modern music influenced by New Age ideas, which characteristically seeks to develop a mood of relaxation in the listener by reproducing…
- ambient1986–A type of largely instrumental, electronic music, characterized by the absence of a persistent beat, typically slow, soothing, and unobtrusive in…
- Britpop1986–British pop music; (now usually) spec. the music of a number of British guitar-led groups, first popular in the early to mid 1990s, drawing on…
- chamber pop1986–A style of popular music which incorporates elements of classical music, esp. by utilizing string and wind instruments.
- gangster rap1986–= gangsta rap, n.
- house1986–A type of electronic dance music, influenced by funk and disco and typically featuring the use of drum machines, sequencers, sampled sound…
- house music1986–= house, n.³.
- mbalax1986–A type of Senegalese rhythm, used as the basis of much Senegalese popular music; (also) music incorporating this rhythm, in which all instruments…
- rai1986–A style of Algerian popular music which combines Arabic and Algerian folk elements with contemporary international musical styles, and whose…
- trot1986–A genre of Korean popular music characterized by repetitive rhythms and emotional lyrics, combining a traditional Korean singing style with…
- zouk1986–A style of popular dance music combining Caribbean (esp. French Antillean) and Western elements, and characterized by a strong fast beat derived…
- bhangra1987–A type of popular music originating in the Asian community in Britain and incorporating elements of both Punjabi folk and Western dance music.
- dance music1987–A style of popular electronic music characterized by having a strong repetitive beat and few or no lyrics, which frequently incorporates sound…
- garage1987–A New York variety of house music, influenced by soul, and with powerful vocals and a strong emphasis on the lyrics.
- hip-house1987–A blend of hip-hop and house music, usually consisting of a spoken rap over a house backing track.
- indie1987–Music not affiliated with or backed by a major record label, or which shares the typical characteristics of music produced by independent labels…
- new school1987–Also new skool. = nu skool, n.
- old school1987–A style or genre of popular music regarded as relatively traditional, old-fashioned, or uninfluenced by newer styles; spec. (also old skool), rap…
- thrashcore1987–An extremely fast variant of hardcore punk music, typically characterized by very brief song structures.
- acid1988–= acid house, n.
- acid house1988–A type of house music popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s, characterized by a fast beat, a spare, hypnotic, synthesized sound, and a…
- acid jazz1988–A genre of dance music, first popular within the United Kingdom club subculture of the late 1980s, incorporating elements of jazz, funk, soul, and…
- ambience1988–A type of largely instrumental, electronic music, that is typically slow, soothing, and unobtrusive in style, characterized by the absence of a…
- Cantopop1988–A form of popular music originating in Hong Kong, which combines Western-style pop music with Cantonese lyrics.
- dance1988–= dance music, n. 2. Frequently attributive.
- deep house1988–A variety of house music with a comparatively relaxed and mellow sound influenced by soul, gospel, and blues, and characterized by powerful vocals…
- industrial1988–A genre of harsh, uncompromising rock music characterized by the incorporation of sounds resembling those produced by machinery used in large-scale…
- swingbeat1988–A form of dance music combining elements of rhythm and blues, soul, hip-hop, and rap music.
- techno1988–A style of popular music characterized by the use of synthesized sounds and having a fast, repetitive dance beat, with few or no vocals. Cf. techno-…
- dream pop1989–A style of popular music, usually featuring layered guitar effects and quiet or breathy vocals, in which the creation of an atmospheric, textured…
- Euro-house1989–House music from continental Europe, esp. a form characterized by simple and repetitive melodies and lyrics, often sung in English; cf. Europop, n.
- gangsta rap1989–A style of rap music, originating in south-central Los Angeles, featuring aggressive and confrontational lyrics centring on the violence of gang…
- J-pop1989–Japanese pop music.
- multiculti1989–a. = multiculturalism, n. b. spec. A form of popular music incorporating disparate ethnic melodic or rhythmic styles, instrumentation, etc.
- new jack swing1989–A form of music combining elements of rhythm and blues, soul, and rap music; cf. swingbeat, n.
- noise-pop1989–A type of popular music characterized by loud, distorted, or fuzzy guitar, but retaining a strong emphasis on melody; cf. noise, n. I.1b.
- rave1989–A large (often illicit) party or event at which electronic dance music is played, usually held in a warehouse or open field and frequently…
- baggy1990–Originally and chiefly British. A form of British popular music of the late 1980s and early 1990s, combining the guitar-based melodies of indie pop…
- chill-out1990–chill-out adj. slang (phr.) designed to induce or enhance a relaxed mood, esp. in chill-out music. chill-out room n. an area in a nightclub, usually…
- new jack1990–Originally U.S. = new jack swing, n. Also: a performer or fan of this music.
- new jill swing1990–New jack swing as performed by women.
- noisecore1990–A type of popular music derived from hardcore punk music, characterized by the use of dissonance or inharmonious noise, esp. loud distorted guitar…
- seggae1990–A style of popular music originating in Mauritius, combining characteristic elements of sega (typically the strong, syncopated beats, percussion…
- drum and bass1991–Popular electronic dance music characterized by a combination of often highly syncopated rhythms, fast breakbeats, and a heavy, usually slower…
- EBM1991–Electronic body music, a genre of music arising in the late 1970s which mixed electronic dance music (see EDM, n.) with some of the more physical…
- gangsta1991–Short for gangsta rap, n.
- handbag house1991–More fully handbag house. A form of electronic dance music derived from house, characterized by its highly commercial appeal, catchy melodies, and…
- hip-pop1991–Music that combines elements of hip-hop and pop.
- loungecore1991–Any of a variety of musical styles which combine elements of lounge music and hardcore. Also (humorously): lounge music (cf. lounge, n.), typically…
- psychedelic trance1991–A variety of popular music characterized by the use of electronic synthesizers and psychedelic effects or sounds; esp. a variety of electronic…
- shoegazing1991–A style of popular music originating in Britain at the start of the 1990s, featuring a sound in which the distinctions between separate…
- slowcore1991–A genre of popular music characterized by slow tempos, a sombre, atmospheric, sometimes densely textured sound, and quiet, forlorn vocals…
- techno-house1991–Prefixed to the names of styles of popular music (as techno-pop, techno-rock, techno-house, etc.) to denote music incorporating sounds generated…
- breakbeat1992–Music characterized by the use of breakbeats (sense A.1); esp. a type of electronic dance music featuring heavy breakbeats. Cf. break, n. III.26b.ii.
- broken beat1992–A disjointed or heavily syncopated beat; (also) music with such a beat, spec. a subgenre of electronic music characterized by staccato sounds and…
- gabba1992–A harsh, aggressive type of house music originating in Rotterdam, characterized by an extremely fast dance beat.
- jungle1992–A genre of dance music, originating in Britain in the early 1990s, which incorporates elements of ragga, hip-hop, and techno, and is…
- sadcore1992–A genre of popular music characterized by sparse, often acoustic instrumentation, very slow tempos, and bleak or melancholy lyrics; (also…
- UK garage1992–A form of garage music (garage, n. & adj.additions) originating in the United Kingdom, retaining the emphasis on vocals but characterized by a…
- breakcore1993–A genre of electronic dance music characterized by fast tempos, intense breakbeats, and eclectic samples.
- darkcore1993–A form of electronic dance music characterized by aggressive, syncopated breakbeats, low-frequency bass lines, and horror-themed sampled sound…
- dark side1993–Usually as one word. A form of electronic dance music characterized by aggressive, syncopated breakbeats, low-frequency bass lines, and…
- electronica1993–Music. spec. Any of various popular styles of electronic music deriving from techno and rave music, esp. those having a more ambient, esoteric, or…
- G-funk1993–A style of hip-hop combining the lyrical themes of gangsta rap with music influenced by P-funk, originating in Los Angeles in the 1990s and…
- sampladelia1994–Sampladelic music. Cf. sampladelic, adj.
- trip hop1994–A genre of dance music, usually slow in tempo, that combines elements of hip-hop (esp. rapping and scratching) with softer, more melodic elements…
- breaks1995–In plural. Music characterized by the use of breakbeats; esp. a type of electronic dance music featuring heavy breakbeats. Cf. breakbeat, n. A.2.
- EDM1996–Electronic dance music, esp. various popular genres frequently played at large-scale dance events, such as house, techno, and trance.
- psy-trance1996–= psychedelic trance, n.
- nu skool1997–Any of these styles of music. Cf. new school, n. 3, old school, n. A.2.
- two-step1997–Music (originally British). Also in form 2-step. A subgenre of UK garage characterized by a syncopated rhythm track, typically featuring two…
- folktronica1999–A style of popular music incorporating elements of folk and electronic music, typically characterized by the use of electronic rhythms and acoustic…
- indietronica2000–A style of popular music incorporating elements of indie rock or pop and electronica (electronica, n. 1), typically having rock or pop rhythms and…
- bastard pop2002–A type of pop music in which elements of two or more existing songs are merged, esp. the isolated vocals of one piece over the instrumental…
- dubstep2002–A genre of (usually instrumental) dance music typically featuring a sparse, syncopated rhythm and a prominent, propulsive bassline. Cf. two-step, n.…
- Bongo Flava2003–A style of music originating in Tanzania, combining elements of American hip-hop with influences from reggae, R&B, Afrobeat, dancehall, and…
- grime2003–A genre of popular music originating in east London, influenced by UK garage, dancehall, and hip-hop, and typically characterized by a minimal…
- Bongo2004–A style of hip-hop music originating in Tanzania; = Bongo Flava, n. Often as a modifier, esp. in Bongo music.
- bedroom pop2006–A genre of pop music characterized by amateur, unpolished production, typically featuring soft vocals and a ‘dreamy’ sound quality.
- drill2012–A style of hip-hop or rap music originating in Chicago, characterized by stark, ominous beats and synthesizer loops, and aggressive, combative…
- singeli2015–A style of fast-paced electronic dance music originating in Tanzania, combining elements of hip-hop with influences from East African popular music…
- Music. Forming nouns denoting varieties of (popular) music characterized by the use of electronically created sounds, as electro-beat, electro-funk, e…
- Prefixed to the names of styles of popular music (as techno-pop, techno-rock, techno-house, etc.) to denote music incorporating sounds generated…
Pronunciation
British English
U.S. English
Caribbean English
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
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
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.
Consonants
- ppea
- ttea, thaw
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye, thee
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- hhay
- llay
- 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 as in British and US English.
Vowels
- iːfleece
- ihappy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- atrap, ago
- aːpalm, bath, thought
- aː(r)start
- ɑlot, cloth
- ʌstrut, letter
- ʊfoot
- uːgoose
- oːgoat
- ɔːthought
- oː(r)north, force, cure
- ɜː(r)nurse
- eː(r)square, near
- aʊmouth
- ɔʊmouth
- eːface
- aipride, voice
- ɔivoice
- ãsoucouyant
- ɑ̃salon
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
zouk typically occurs about 0.02 times per million words in modern written English.
zouk 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 of zouk, n., 1980–2010
* 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 |
|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.022 |
| 1990 | 0.022 |
| 2000 | 0.022 |
| 2010 | 0.022 |
Frequency of zouk, 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 | 0.015 |
| 2018 | 0.018 |
| 2019 | 0.017 |
| 2020 | 0.017 |
| 2021 | 0.018 |
| 2022 | 0.015 |
| 2023 | 0.012 |
| 2024 | 0.012 |