zed, n.

zed
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zed_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2018

# zednoun

## Earlier version

- zed in OED Second Edition (1989)

## In other dictionaries

- zed, n. in Middle English Dictionary

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zed mean?

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

### How common is the noun zed?

About 0.1occurrences per million words in modern written English

1750 | 0.24
1760 | 0.24
1770 | 0.23
1780 | 0.2
1790 | 0.17
1800 | 0.16
1810 | 0.12
1820 | 0.095
1830 | 0.075
1840 | 0.057
1850 | 0.045
1860 | 0.046
1870 | 0.047
1880 | 0.048
1890 | 0.051
1900 | 0.054
1910 | 0.059
1920 | 0.076
1930 | 0.091
1940 | 0.1
1950 | 0.13
1960 | 0.17
1970 | 0.16
1980 | 0.15
1990 | 0.14
2000 | 0.12
2010 | 0.081

### How is the noun zed pronounced?

#### British English

/zɛd/
zed

#### U.S. English

/zɛd/
zed

### Where does the noun zed come from?

Earliest known use

Middle English

The earliest known use of the noun zed is in the Middle English period (1150—1500).

OED's earliest evidence for zed is from around 1175, in Names of Letters.

zed is probably a borrowing from French.

Etymons: French zède.

### Nearby entries

1. zebra wolf, n. 1808–
2. zebrawood, n. 1768–
3. zebra woodpecker, n. 1884–
4. zebrina, n. 1846–
5. zebrine, adj. a1810–
6. zebroid, adj. & n. 1881–
7. zebrule, n. 1899–
8. zebu, n. 1771–
9. zecchino, n. 1572–
10. Zechstein, n. 1798–
11. zed, n.c1175–
12. zedbed, n. 1954–
13. zedoary, n. Old English–
14. zedonk, n. 1961–
15. zee, n. 1580–
16. Zeelander, n. c1400–
17. Zeelandic, adj. 1802–
18. Zeelandish, adj. 1593–
19. Zeeman, n. 1897–
20. zeep, n. 1878–
21. zeep, v. 1886–

## Etymology

### Summary

Probably a borrowing from French.
Etymon: French zède.
Probably < an unattested Old French antecedent of French zède (1694) < classical Latin zēta < ancient Greek ζῆτα zeta n.1

Compare izzard n., zad n., zee n.

See further discussion at Z n.…
Probably < an unattested Old French antecedent of French zède (1694) < classical Latin zēta < ancient Greek ζῆτα zeta n.1

Compare izzard n., zad n., zee n.

See further discussion at Z n.

### Notes

Compare Italian zeta (14th cent.; also †zette).
In sense 3 after Z n. I.4b.

## Meaning & use

Not generally used in U.S. English, where the usual word is zee.

1. 1.
   c1175–
   (A name for) the letter Z, z, the last letter of the alphabet in English and other modern languages (see Z n.).
   figurative in quot. 1608, applied contemptuously to a person.
   1. c1175

      > X x ix [or perh. read ex], Y y fix, Z zede.

      Names of Letters in N. R. Ker, Catalogue MSS containing Anglo-Saxon (1957) 337
   2. a1425 (c1400)

      > We have in oure langage too lettres more þane þei have in here, þat is to sey, y [i.e. þ] & z, which is called thorn and zedde.

      Mandeville's Travels (Laud MS. 699) f. 37, in Middle English Dictionary (at cited word)
      [Composed c1400]
   3. c1425

      > For as miche as þe carect yogh, þat is to seie ȝ, is figurid lijk a zed, þerfore alle þe wordis of þis table þat biginnen wiþ þat carect ben set in zed, which is þe laste lettre of þe a.b.c.

      Concordance Wycliffite Bible in Speculum (1968) vol. 43 272 (Middle English Dictionary)
   4. 1582

      > Hence cummeth it that so manie zeds in our tung ar herd, & so few sene, for dexteritie and spede in the currantnesse of writing.

      R. Mulcaster, 1st Part of Elementarie xxiii. 161
   5. 1608

      > Thou whorson Zedd, thou vnnecessarie letter.

      W. Shakespeare, King Lear vii. 62
   6. 1654

      > You must not suffer your Scholars to call these six Letters h, g, j, v, w, z,..but to give them names.., as not to call [h] [ache,] but [eh,]..nor [z] zed, nor zad.., but [ez].

      J. Brooksbank, Plain Rules Syllabication English Words 16
   7. 1755

      > Z..[Name] zed, more commonly izzard or uzzard, that is, shard.

      S. Johnson, Gram. English Tongue in Dictionary
   8. 1775

      > Zee would be a less perplexing name than zed.

      C. Telfair, Town & Country Spelling-book Notes 3
   9. 1817

      > Children..often call this letter Izard... They should be taught to pronounce it Zed.

      Err. Pron. London 38
   10. 1893

       > The Z-patterns (fine lines arranged diagonally, like natural and reversed Zeds combined).

       F. Madan, Books in Manuscript 53
   11. 1930

       > Borrow a set of the Encyclopaedia Brittanica [sic], and study articles..volume after volume, from the A's to the Zeds.

       Week (Brisbane) 11 April 37/5
   12. 1947

       > There are many zeds pronounced, but there are, in comparison, few written z's.

       C. T. Onions in E. Barker, Char. of Eng. xii. 297
   13. 2015

       > Dennis, Helen, and Denize (with a zed).

       Belfast Telegraph (Nexis) 19 June
   1. zed c1175–
      (A name for) the letter Z, z, the last letter of the alphabet in English and other modern languages (see Z, n.).
   2. zee 1580–
      (A name for) the letter Z, z, the last letter of the alphabet in English and other modern languages (see Z, n.).
   3. izzard 1597–
      Old name for the letter Z.
   4. zad 1669–
      Name of the letter Z; hence (slang) applied to a thing or person of crooked form. (Cf. zard izzard, n. Forms.)
   View in Historical Thesaurus
2. 2.
   1891–
   More fully zed bar. A steel girder with a Z-shaped cross-section, esp. as used in shipbuilding; = Z-bar n. at Z n. I.2. Now chiefly historical.
   1. 1891

      > Angles, Zeds, Channels, Beams, Bars.

      Engineering vol. 51 Advts. p. xxxviii
   2. 1892

      > The improved sections of steel known as channel and zed bars.

      Daily News 9 September 6/1
   3. 1905

      > The frames are generally made of angle bars, but there are many other forms in use, as zed bars, bulb angle, channel bars, etc.

      Far Eastern Review February 26/1
   4. 1948

      > As a substitute for built frames, zed bars were first employed, but have now been almost entirely superseded by bulb angles and channel bars.

      Shipping World & Shipbuilding & Marine Engin. News 4 February 194/2
   5. 2013

      > About two-thirds [sc. of structural steel] was in the form of plates, the rest as stiffeners, sections such as angle bars, channels or zed bars.

      I. Johnston & I. L. Buxton, Battleship Builders ix. 224/2
   shipbuilding historical
   1. Y 1513–
      The letter considered with regard to its shape; a figure or marking of this shape. Also in combination y-shaped adj.
   2. tee 1610–
      The name of the letter T; also applied to objects having the form of this (T or ⊦). See also T, n. I.2.
   3. H a1616–
      With reference to the shape of the capital H.
   4. Z 1680–
      The letter considered with respect to its shape; a figure or object of this shape. Also attributive, as Z-bar n. a metal bar having a…
   5. W 1798–
      The letter considered with regard to its shape. Also attributive.
   6. V 1832–
      Used with reference to the shape of the letter; an object having this shape; a V-shaped, acute-angled formation. Cf. vee, n.
   7. Z-bar 1877–
      The letter considered with respect to its shape; a figure or object of this shape. Also attributive, as Z-bar n. a metal bar having a…
   8. zed 1891–
      More fully zed bar. A steel girder with a Z-shaped cross-section, esp. as used in shipbuilding; = Z-bar n. at Z, n. I.2. Now chiefly historical.
   9. vee 1933–
      A thing having or arranged in the shape of a V.
   10. T-junction 1954–
       A T-shaped intersection (of pipes, etc.); spec. a T-shaped road junction.
   View in Historical Thesaurus
3. 3.
   1973–
   colloquial. In plural. Sleep (where zed represents the sound of snoring); = Z n. I.4b. Chiefly in phrases, as to catch some zeds and variants: to get some sleep.
   1. 1973

      > I was certainly pounding the zeds when the alarm went off at 4 a.m.

      New Zealand Alpine Journal vol. 26 98/1
   2. 1997

      > I decided to make my last pitiful attempt to catch some zeds.

      Herald (Glasgow) (Nexis) 23 August 6
   3. 2006

      > Physical problems that tend to be associated with sleep deprivation..are not actually to do with your lack of zeds.

      Guardian 19 December (G2 section) 17/3
   4. 2015

      > Banked enough zeds to last for a bit.

      P. Graeme-Evans, Wild Wood 94
   colloquial and slang
   1. sleep Old English–
      The unconscious state or condition regularly and naturally assumed by man and animals, during which the activity of the nervous system is almost or…
   2. sweven Old English–1698
      Sleep. Obsolete. rare.
   3. swevet Old English–1623
      Sleep, slumber.
   4. repast a1382–1765
      Rest, repose; refreshment. Obsolete.
   5. slumber c1386–
      With possessive pronouns.
   6. lib 1665
      Sleep.
   7. the land of Nod 1738–
      the land of Nod: sleep.
   8. balmy 1841–
      absol. Sleep (Cf. sense 4.) slang.
   9. beddy-baw 1864–
      A child's word for: bed or sleep. Frequently in plural. Cf. beddy-byes, n.
   10. beddy-byes 1879–
       The act of going to bed for the night. Originally and chiefly in expressions used in putting a child to… In singular. (Now the more usual form in…
   11. shut-eye 1899–
       Sleep; sleeping.
   12. dreamland 1912–
       The place seen or visited in dreams, and existing only in the imagination; the world of dreams; (hence) sleep. Cf. the land of Nod at nod, n.¹ II.5b.
   13. sleepy-bye 1925–
   14. sack drill 1946–
   15. sack duty 1954–
       Sleep; time spent in bed.
   16. zed 1973–
       colloquial. In plural. Sleep (where zed represents the sound of snoring); = Z, n. I.4b. Chiefly in phrases, as to catch some zeds and variants…
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/zɛd/
zed

### U.S. English

/zɛd/
zed

####

##### 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

## Forms

### Variant forms

1. Middle English
   zede
2. Middle English–1500s
   zedde
3. Middle English–
   zed
4. 1600s
   zedd

## Frequency

zed typically occurs about 0.1 times per million words in modern written English.

zed is in frequency band 4, which contains words occurring between 0.1 and 1 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 zed, n., 1750–2010

* 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
--- | ---
1750 | 0.24
1760 | 0.24
1770 | 0.23
1780 | 0.2
1790 | 0.17
1800 | 0.16
1810 | 0.12
1820 | 0.095
1830 | 0.075
1840 | 0.057
1850 | 0.045
1860 | 0.046
1870 | 0.047
1880 | 0.048
1890 | 0.051
1900 | 0.054
1910 | 0.059
1920 | 0.076
1930 | 0.091
1940 | 0.1
1950 | 0.13
1960 | 0.17
1970 | 0.16
1980 | 0.15
1990 | 0.14
2000 | 0.12
2010 | 0.081

### Frequency of zed, 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 | 0.025
2018 | 0.025
2019 | 0.024
2020 | 0.024
2021 | 0.024
2022 | 0.025
2023 | 0.025
2024 | 0.026

## Compounds & derived words

Sort by

1. zee, n. 1580–
   (A name for) the letter Z, z, the last letter of…

1. zad, n. 1669–
   Name of the letter Z; hence (slang) applied to a…

1. zedbed, n. 1954–
   A type of occasional bed with a three-part metal…

zed, n. was revised in June 2018.

zed, n. was last modified in September 2024.