zygosperm, n.

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

# zygospermnoun

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zygosperm mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zygosperm. 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 is the noun zygosperm pronounced?

#### British English

/ˈzʌɪɡəspəːm/
ZIGH-guh-spurm
/ˈzɪɡəspəːm/
ZIG-uh-spurm

#### U.S. English

/ˈzaɪɡəˌspərm/
ZIGH-guh-spuhrm
/ˈzɪɡəˌspərm/
ZIG-uh-spuhrm

### Where does the noun zygosperm come from?

Earliest known use

1880s

The earliest known use of the noun zygosperm is in the 1880s.

OED's only evidence for zygosperm is from 1880, in a paper by Alfred Bennett, botanist and publisher, and Murray.

### Nearby entries

1. zygoneurous, adj. 1901–
2. zygophiuran, adj. & n. 1892–
3. zygophore, n. 1904–
4. zygophyllaceous, adj. 1887–
5. zygophyte, n. 1885–
6. zygopleura, n. 1883–
7. zygopterid, n. & adj. 1900–
8. zygosis, n. 1880–
9. zygosity, n. 1952–
10. zygosome, n. 1905–
11. zygosperm, n.1880–
12. zygosphenal, adj. 1854–
13. zygosphene, n. 1854–
14. zygosphere, n. 1880–
15. zygospondyline, adj. 1892–
16. zygospore, n. 1864–
17. zygosporic, adj. 1906–
18. zygostat, n. 1623
19. zygostatical, adj. 1656
20. zygostyle, n. 1881–
21. zygote, n. 1891–

## Etymology

Greek σπέρμα seed.

## Meaning & use

1. 1880–
   = zygospore n.
   1. 1880

      > The conjugated zygospheres..constitute a zygosperm.

      A. W. Bennett & Murray in Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science vol. XX. 417
   plants
   1. zygospore 1864–
      A spore formed by conjugation; a germ-cell arising from the fusion of two similar cells (gametes), as in certain Algæ and Fungi.
   2. zygosperm 1880–
      = zygospore, n.
   3. zygosphere 1880–
      Either of the two conjugating cells or gametes which form a zygospore.
   4. azygospore 1889–
      A parthenogenetic zygospore.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈzʌɪɡəspəːm/
ZIGH-guh-spurm
/ˈzɪɡəspəːm/
ZIG-uh-spurm

### U.S. English

/ˈzaɪɡəˌspərm/
ZIGH-guh-spuhrm
/ˈzɪɡəˌspərm/
ZIG-uh-spuhrm

####

##### 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

Originally published as part of the entry for zygo-, comb. form

zygo-, comb. form was first published in 1921; not fully revised.