zograscope, n.

zograscope
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zograscope_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
First published 1986; not fully revised

# zograscopenoun

## Earlier version

- zograscope in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zograscope mean?

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

#### Entry status

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

### How common is the noun zograscope?

Fewer than 0.01occurrences per million words in modern written English

1950 | 0.0002
1960 | 0.0002
1970 | 0.0005
1980 | 0.0007
1990 | 0.0008
2000 | 0.0009
2010 | 0.0011

### How is the noun zograscope pronounced?

#### British English

/ˈzɒɡrəskəʊp/

### Where does the noun zograscope come from?

Earliest known use

mid 1700s

The earliest known use of the noun zograscope is in the mid 1700s.

OED's earliest evidence for zograscope is from 1753.

zograscope is perhaps formed within English, by compounding.

Etymons: zographer n., ‑scope comb. form.

### Nearby entries

1. zodiac, n. 1390–
2. zodiacal, adj. 1576–
3. zodiac line, n. 1590
4. zodiac ring, n. 1895–
5. zodiographer, n. 1650
6. zoea, n. 1828–
7. zoeal, adj.?1870–
8. zoetrope, n. 1866–
9. zographer, n. 1570
10. zography, n. 1570
11. zograscope, n.1753–
12. Zohar, n. 1682–
13. zoic, adj. 1863–
14. -zoic, comb. form¹
15. -zoic, comb. form²
16. zoid, n. 1856–
17. zoid, adj. 1864–
18. zoidiophilous, adj. 1872–
19. zoidogamous, adj. 1899–
20. Zoilean, adj. 1846–
21. Zoilism, n. 1609–

## Etymology

### Summary

Perhaps formed within English, by compounding.
Etymons: zographer n., ‑scope comb. form.
Etymology uncertain, perhaps < zogra- (in zographer n.) + ‑scope comb. form.

## Meaning & use

Obsolete exc. Historical.

1. 1753–
   An optical instrument, consisting of a vertically suspended convex lens in front of a pivotally adjustable mirror mounted on a stand, designed for the viewing of prints in magnified form and with stereoscopic effect.
   1. 1753

      > Zograscopes for viewing perspective Prints.

      in G. Adams, Descr. & Use Universal Trigonometrical Octant 3 (advertisement)
   2. 1953

      > The zograscope or optical diagonal machine.

      Annual Science vol. IX. 315 (heading)
   3. 1953

      > No reference to the zograscope has so far been found in the literature of the eighteenth or nineteenth centuries, save in certain..advertisements listing instruments made..by [George Adams].

      Annual Science vol. IX. 315
   4. 1969

      > Usually described and sold as Georgian shaving mirrors; this, they are not; they are zograscopes,..probably invented about 1750... Also known, during its long life, as an optical machine..intended for viewing prints, etc., in a magnified form.

      E. H. Pinto, Treen 284
   optics historical
   1. zograscope 1753–
      An optical instrument, consisting of a vertically suspended convex lens in front of a pivotally adjustable mirror mounted on a stand, designed for…
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈzɒɡrəskəʊp/

####

##### 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.

## Frequency

zograscope typically occurs fewer than 0.01 times per million words in modern written English.

zograscope is in frequency band 1, which contains words occurring fewer than 0.001 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 zograscope, n., 1950–2010

* 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
--- | ---
1950 | 0.0002
1960 | 0.0002
1970 | 0.0005
1980 | 0.0007
1990 | 0.0008
2000 | 0.0009
2010 | 0.0011

zograscope, n. was first published in 1986; not fully revised.

zograscope, n. was last modified in December 2024.