Zamazim, n.

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

# Zamazimnoun

## Earlier version

- Zamazim in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### Where does the noun Zamazim come from?

Earliest known use

Middle English

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

OED's only evidence for Zamazim is from before 1400, in Cursor Mundi: a Northumbrian poem of the 14th century.

Zamazim is a variant or alteration of another lexical item.

Etymons: Amazon n.1 & adj.

### How is the noun Zamazim pronounced?

#### British English

/ˈzaməzɪm/
ZAM-uh-zim

#### U.S. English

/ˈzæməzɪm/
ZAM-uh-zim

### Nearby entries

1. zakat, n. 1668–
2. Zakka Khel, n. 1860–
3. zakuska, n. 1885–
4. zalambdodont, adj. 1885–
5. zalcitabine, n. 1991–
6. zamacueca, n. 1855–
7. Zamak, n. 1926–
8. zamang, n. 1819–
9. zamarra, n. 1841–
10. zama zama, n. 2006–
11. Zamazim, n.a1400–
12. Zambian, adj. & n. 1959–
13. Zambianization, n. 1964–
14. Zambianize, v. 1964–
15. zambo, n. 1819–
16. Zamboni, n. 1965–
17. zambra, n. 1672–
18. zambuk, n. 1906–
19. zamburak, n. 1825–
20. zami, n. 1977–
21. Zamia, n. 1819–

## Etymology

### Summary

A variant or alteration of another lexical item.
Obsolete corrupt < Amazon n.1 & adj.

## Meaning & use

1. a1400–
   1. a1400 (a1325)

      > Zamazims [Trin. Cambr. zamazinis] þat sith be-gan, þe wimmen land wit-outen man.

      Cursor Mundi (Vespasian MS.) l. 7043
      [Composed a1325]
   military
   1. virago a1387–
      A woman who behaves in a way traditionally associated with men; a woman regarded as having masculine strength or spirit; a female warrior. Usually…
   2. Zamazim a1400–
   3. warrior?a1425
      A person who fights in a battle or war; a person experienced or distinguished in armed combat; a valiant fighter. In later use usually with…
   4. viragin 1558–
      A woman who behaves in a way traditionally associated with men; a masculine woman. Cf. virago, n. 2a, viraginity, n. 1.
   5. Amazon 1568–
      A female warrior or soldier, resembling or reminiscent of a mythical Amazon (sense A.1a); spec. (originally) a member of a tribe of female…
   6. barratress 1582
      A female fighter, amazon, virago.
   7. warrioress 1594–
      A female warrior; a woman who wages war on a person or thing. Also figurative: a fierce or assertive woman.
   8. Amazonian 1595–
      Originally: a member of a mythical race of female warriors; = Amazon, n.¹ A.1a. Later also: a female warrior or soldier, resembling or reminiscent…
   9. Amazonite 1601–30
      = Amazon, n.¹ A.1a.
   10. bellatrice 1656
       ‘A warrioress, a woman well skill'd in war, a Virago.’ Blount Glossogr. 1656.
   11. shield-maiden 1849–
       = shieldmay, n.
   12. shieldmay 1849–
       A maiden warrior, an Amazon. (By some English writers used as equivalent to Valkyrie, n.)
   13. shield-maid 1851–
       = shieldmay, n.
   14. fighteress 1864–
       A female fighter or soldier, an Amazon.
   15. wahine toa 1902–
       In Māori contexts: a female warrior; (in extended use) any strong or brave woman.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈzaməzɪm/
ZAM-uh-zim

### U.S. English

/ˈzæməzɪm/
ZAM-uh-zim

####

##### 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

Also Zamazin.

Zamazim, n. was first published in 1921; not fully revised.

Zamazim, n. was last modified in June 2025.