zymic, adj.

zymic
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zymic_adj%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
First published 1921; not fully revised

# † zymicadjective

## Earlier version

- zymic, a. in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the adjective zymic mean?

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

This word is now obsolete. It is last recorded around the 1820s.

#### Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

### How is the adjective zymic pronounced?

#### British English

/ˈzʌɪmɪk/
ZIGH-mick
/ˈzɪmɪk/
ZIM-ik

#### U.S. English

/ˈzɪmɪk/
ZIM-ik
/ˈzaɪmɪk/
ZIGH-mick

### Where does the adjective zymic come from?

Earliest known use

1810s

The earliest known use of the adjective zymic is in the 1810s.

OED's earliest evidence for zymic is from 1817, in the writing of Thomas Thomson, chemist.

zymic is a borrowing from Greek, combined with an English element.

Etymons: Greek ζύμη, ‑ic suffix.

### Nearby entries

1. zygotoblast, n. 1899–
2. zygotoid, n. 1891–
3. zygotomere, n. 1899–
4. -zygous, comb. form
5. zygozoospore, n. 1881–
6. Zyklon, n. 1939–
7. zymad, n. 1885–
8. zymase, n. 1875–
9. zymate, n. 1817–19
10. zyme, n. 1882–
11. zymic, adj.1817–26
12. zymin, n. 1842–
13. zyminized, adj. 1888–
14. zymo-, comb. form
15. zymocyte, n. a1909–
16. zymodeme, n. 1978–
17. zymogen, n. 1877–
18. zymogenetic, adj. 1896–
19. zymogenic, adj. 1884–
20. zymogluconate, n. 1887–
21. zymogluconic, adj. 1886–

## Etymology

### Summary

A borrowing from Greek, combined with an English element.
Etymons: Greek ζύμη, ‑ic suffix.
< Greek ζύμη leaven + ‑ic suffix.

## Meaning & use

Chemistry. Obsolete.

1. 1817–26
   Pertaining to or connected with fermentation; formerly applied to a supposed acid (afterwards shown to be impure lactic acid) obtained by fermentation of starchy substances.
   1. 1817

      > Of Zumic Acid. I give this name to an acid recently discovered by M. Braconnot.

      T. Thomson, System of Chemistry (ed. 5) vol. II. 189
   2. 1826
      W. Henry, Elements of Chemistry vol. II. 241.
   chemistry

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈzʌɪmɪk/
ZIGH-mick
/ˈzɪmɪk/
ZIM-ik

### U.S. English

/ˈzɪmɪk/
ZIM-ik
/ˈzaɪmɪk/
ZIGH-mick

####

##### 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

In actual use zumic British English /ˈzjuːmɪk/ (ZYOO-mick) , U.S. English /ˈz(j)umɪk/ (ZYOO-mick) .

## Compounds & derived words

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1. zymate, n. 1817–19
   A salt of ‘zymic acid’.

zymic, adj. was first published in 1921; not fully revised.

zymic, adj. was last modified in March 2025.