zeugma, n.

zeugma
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zeugma_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2018

# zeugmanoun

## Earlier version

- zeugma in OED Second Edition (1989)

## In other dictionaries

- zeuma, n. in Middle English Dictionary

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zeugma mean?

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

### How common is the noun zeugma?

About 0.02occurrences per million words in modern written English

1810 | 0.0028
1820 | 0.0046
1830 | 0.0052
1840 | 0.006
1850 | 0.0067
1860 | 0.008
1870 | 0.0085
1880 | 0.0084
1890 | 0.0077
1900 | 0.008
1910 | 0.009
1920 | 0.011
1930 | 0.013
1940 | 0.017
1950 | 0.02
1960 | 0.022
1970 | 0.023
1980 | 0.024
1990 | 0.024
2000 | 0.023
2010 | 0.022

### How is the noun zeugma pronounced?

#### British English

/ˈz(j)uːɡmə/
ZYOOG-muh

#### U.S. English

/ˈzuɡmə/
ZOOG-muh

### Where does the noun zeugma come from?

Earliest known use

Middle English

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

OED's earliest evidence for zeugma is from around 1450.

zeugma is a borrowing from Latin.

Etymons: Latin zeugma, zeuma.

### Nearby entries

1. zetetically, adv. 1665–
2. Zetetical Society, n. 1881–
3. zetetics, n. 1843–
4. Zetland, n. 1577–
5. Zetlander, n. 1614–
6. Zetlandic, adj. 1701–
7. zetta-, comb. form
8. Zeuglodon, n. 1839–
9. zeuglodont, n. & adj. 1850–
10. zeuglodontoid, adj. & n. 1891
11. zeugma, n.c1450–
12. zeugmatic, adj. 1851–
13. zeugmatical, adj. 1610–
14. zeugmatically, adv. 1616–
15. zeugmatogram, n. 1973–
16. zeugmatographic, adj. 1973–
17. zeugmatography, n. 1973–
18. zeunerite, n. 1873–
19. Zeus, n.¹ 1587–
20. Zeus, n.² 1601–
21. Zeus-like, adj. & adv. 1850–

## Etymology

### Summary

A borrowing from Latin.
Etymons: Latin zeugma, zeuma.
< post-classical Latin zeugma (2nd or 3rd cent.), zeuma (from 13th cent. in British sources) < ancient Greek ζεῦγμα something used for joining, bond, in Hellenistic Greek also use of the same predicate…
< post-classical Latin zeugma (2nd or 3rd cent.), zeuma (from 13th cent. in British sources) < ancient Greek ζεῦγμα something used for joining, bond, in Hellenistic Greek also use of the same predicate with two or more subjects < ζευγνύναι to yoke (related to ζυγόν yoke n.) + ‑μα (see ‑oma comb. form).

### Notes

Compare French zeugma (1754), zeugme (1765; 1380 in Middle French as zeume)), Spanish zeuma (1490), Portuguese zeugma (1540 as zeuma), Italian zeugma (a1565; a1406 as zeuma).
For earlier use of the Latin word in an English context compare:

1. OE

   > Þæt oðer hiw ys geciged zeuma, þæt ys gefeig [= a joining] on Englisc. Þis gefeg ys swyðe gelome on halgum gewritum.

   Byrhtferð, Enchiridion (Ashmole MS.) (1995) iii. iii. 164

## Meaning & use

Grammar and Rhetoric.

1. c1450–
   A rhetorical figure in which a word or phrase is made to apply, in different senses, to two (or more) others, or (formerly) when it agrees grammatically with only one. Cf. syllepsis n. 1.
   A well-known example of zeugma is found in the following:
   1. 1712

      > Here Thou, great Anna! whom three Realms obey, Dost sometimes Counsel take—and sometimes Tea.

      A. Pope, Rape of Locke i, in Miscellaneous Poems 359
   1. c1450

      > Zeuma is a joynyng togedyr of twey nominatyf cases in reward of a verbe so that the verbe acorde wyth that on nominatyf case and nouȝt wyth that othyr, as Ego lego et tu.

      in D. Thomson, Middle English Grammatical Texts (1984) 181
   2. 1555

      > Zeugma is varyed also by the place, where that common woorde is putte.

      R. Sherry, Treatise of Figures of Grammar & Rhetorike f. xvij.
   3. 1589

      > But if it be to mo clauses then one, that some such word be supplied to perfit the congruitie or sence of them all, it is by the figure (Zeugma) we call him the (single supplie)..: as to say. Fellowes and friends and kinne forsooke me quite.

      G. Puttenham, Arte of English Poesie iii. xii. 136
   4. 1592

      > Zeugma, when one or more clauses are concluded vnder one verbe, as to say: His loosenes ouercame all shame, his boldnes feare, his madnes reason.

      A. Day, 2nd Part English Secretorie sig. N1v, in English Secretorie (revised edition)
   5. 1656

      > By this figure Zeugma, a verb is sometimes reduced to two Nominative cases, and agrees with both, and then it is called a Zeugma of locution, not of construction.

      J. Smith, Mysterie of Rhetorique Unvail'd 181
   6. 1683

      > Sometimes a Syllepsis meets in Conjunction with a Zeugma.

      J. Twells, Grammatics Reformata 42
   7. 1738

      > Puzzling Grammarians call Zeugma..if the Common Word stands first, Protozeugma, as, Sunt nobis mitia poma.

      J. Holmes, Art Rhetoric vol. I. 62
   8. 1746

      > The Zeugma, which is a kind of Ellipsis, wherein a word is understood that has been already mentioned in the sentence, may be seen in the following Examples.

      T. Nugent, translation of C. Lancelot et al. New Method of learning Greek Tongue vol. II. vii. vii. 201
   9. 1848

      > I assume the influence..to have been such as will at once explain the repetition of a zeugma.

      G. Rorison, Contributions towards Harmony Holy Gospels 226
   10. 1888

       > Zeugmata and other modes of pregnant expression are practically unknown to his style.

       American Journal of Philology vol. 9 340
   11. 1904

       > One must be very circumspect in making zeugmas of that kind.

       Black & Red May 58
   12. 1978

       > You ‘committed’, as you put it, a zeugma—or more properly, a syllepsis.

       W. F. Buckley, Stained Glass iii. 30
   13. 2015

       > There's the use of zeugma in the second, where the verb ‘stink’ governs both the ‘bolt oil and burned powder’ and ‘the things it says’.

       Sunday Times (Nexis) 8 February (Features section) 7
   rhetoric grammar
   1. zeugma c1450–
      A rhetorical figure in which a word or phrase is made to apply, in different senses, to two (or more) others, or (formerly) when it agrees…
   2. syllepsis 1577–
      Grammar and Rhetoric. A figure by which a word, or a particular form or inflection of a word, is made to refer to two or more other words in the…
   3. substitution 1700–1819
      Grammar. = syllepsis, n. 1. Obsolete.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈz(j)uːɡmə/
ZYOOG-muh

### U.S. English

/ˈzuɡmə/
ZOOG-muh

####

##### 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

### Inflections

Plural: zeugmata, zeugmas

### Variant forms

1. late Middle English
   zeuma
2. 1500s–
   zeugma

## Frequency

zeugma typically occurs about 0.02 times per million words in modern written English.

zeugma 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 data is computed programmatically, and should be regarded as an estimate.

### Frequency of zeugma, n., 1810–2010

* 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
--- | ---
1810 | 0.0028
1820 | 0.0046
1830 | 0.0052
1840 | 0.006
1850 | 0.0067
1860 | 0.008
1870 | 0.0085
1880 | 0.0084
1890 | 0.0077
1900 | 0.008
1910 | 0.009
1920 | 0.011
1930 | 0.013
1940 | 0.017
1950 | 0.02
1960 | 0.022
1970 | 0.023
1980 | 0.024
1990 | 0.024
2000 | 0.023
2010 | 0.022

## Compounds & derived words

Sort by

1. hypozeugma, n. 1589–
   The combination of several subjects with a single…

1. protozeugma, n. 1616–
   A zeugma in which the word which refers to both…

zeugma, n. was revised in June 2018.

zeugma, n. was last modified in September 2024.