zephyrean, adj.

zephyrean
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zephyrean_adj%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2018

# zephyreanadjective

## Factsheet

### What does the adjective zephyrean mean?

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

### Where does the adjective zephyrean come from?

Earliest known use

late 1700s

The earliest known use of the adjective zephyrean is in the late 1700s.

OED's earliest evidence for zephyrean is from 1793, in the writing of H. Boyd.

### Nearby entries

1. zeolitiform, adj. 1788–
2. zeolitization, n. 1879–
3. zeolitize, v. 1881–
4. zeolitized, adj. 1888–
5. Zephiran, n. 1935–
6. Zéphirine Drouhin, n. 1901–
7. zephyr, n. Old English–
8. zephyr, v. 1829–
9. zephyranth, n. 1845–
10. zephyranthes, n. 1821–
11. zephyrean, adj.1793–
12. zephyret, n. 1777–1881
13. zephyr flower, n.?1829–
14. zephyr-gale, n. 1596–1901
15. zephyrian, adj. 1661–
16. zephyrine, adj. & n. 1819–
17. zephyring, adj. 1821–
18. zephyrless, adj. a1821–
19. zephyr-like, adv. & adj. 1765–
20. zephyr lily, n.?1877–
21. zephyrous, adj. a1750–

## Meaning & use

1. 1793–
   Of the nature of, or reminiscent of, a zephyr or light breeze; cf. zephyrian adj.
   Stressed as zephyˈrean.
   1. 1793

      > What if the..nymphs of Jordan's flood By the seductive demon of the air With Zephyrean pipe allur'd, command Their fickle urns at will to ebb and flow?

      H. Boyd, Poems 206
   2. 1837

      > The voice of Reason, like the zephyrean breath of summer.

      Blackwood's Magazine vol. 41 146
   3. 2014

      > Playful, prankish, zephyrean fingers teased his taut and weary skin, stroking him with a long cool hypnotic caress.

      J. J. Patterson & Q. O'Connell, Roughnecks iv. 116
   weather
   1. light a1398–
      Of wind, a breeze, etc.: gentle, not strong in force. Cf. moderate, adj. A.1b, strong, adj. 13a.
   2. plain a1425–35
      figurative. Of the wind: calm, gentle. Obsolete.
   3. small 1542–
      Of a wind: light, slight, gentle.
   4. soft-footed 1603–
      Having a soft or light tread. poetic. Used figuratively of the passage of time or the movement of incorporeal or ethereal things.
   5. supple 1648–
      literary. Of a wind: blowing gently, light and soft.
   6. favonian 1656–
      Of or pertaining to the west wind; hence, favourable, gentle, propitious.
   7. zephyrian 1661–
      Of, relating to, or reminiscent of, a zephyr or light breeze; cf. zephyrean, adj.
   8. slack 1670–
      Of wind, or tide: Blowing, or running, with very little strength or speed.
   9. zephyrous a1750–
      Of, relating to, or reminiscent of, a zephyr or light breeze; cf. zephyrean, adj., zephyrian, adj.
   10. zephyry 1791–
       Of the nature of a zephyr or light breeze; characterized by or affected by zephyrs.
   11. zephyrean 1793–
       Of the nature of, or reminiscent of, a zephyr or light breeze; cf. zephyrian, adj.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

Originally published as part of the entry for zephyr, n.

zephyr, n. was revised in June 2018.