Zygomycetes, n.

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

# Zygomycetesnoun

## Earlier version

- Zygomycetes, n. pl. in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the noun Zygomycetes mean?

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

About 0.03occurrences per million words in modern written English

1880 | 0.021
1890 | 0.023
1900 | 0.023
1910 | 0.022
1920 | 0.021
1930 | 0.019
1940 | 0.021
1950 | 0.023
1960 | 0.024
1970 | 0.026
1980 | 0.03
1990 | 0.033
2000 | 0.036
2010 | 0.038

### How is the noun Zygomycetes pronounced?

#### British English

/ˌzʌɪɡə(ʊ)mʌɪˈsiːtiːz/
zigh-goh-migh-SEE-teez

#### U.S. English

/ˌzaɪɡəˌmaɪˈsidiz/
zigh-guh-migh-SEE-deez
/ˌzaɪɡoʊˌmaɪˈsidiz/
zigh-goh-migh-SEE-deez

### Where does the noun Zygomycetes come from?

Earliest known use

1880s

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

OED's earliest evidence for Zygomycetes is from 1887, in a translation by Henry Garnsey and Isaac Bayley Balfour, botanist.

Zygomycetes is a borrowing from Latin.

### Nearby entries

1. zygogenesis, n. 1950–
2. zygology, n. 1970–
3. zygoma, n. 1684–
4. zygomatic, adj. & n. 1712–
5. zygomatico-, comb. form
6. zygomato-, comb. form
7. zygomere, n. 1966–
8. zygomorphic, adj. 1875–
9. zygomorphism, n. 1875–
10. zygomorphous, adj. 1879–
11. Zygomycetes, n.1887–
12. zygomycetous, adj. 1928–
13. zygon, n. 1886–
14. zygonema, n. 1911–
15. zygoneurous, adj. 1901–
16. zygophiuran, adj. & n. 1892–
17. zygophore, n. 1904–
18. zygophyllaceous, adj. 1887–
19. zygophyte, n. 1885–
20. zygopleura, n. 1883–
21. zygopterid, n. & adj. 1900–

## Etymology

### Summary

A borrowing from Latin.
modern Latin, < German Zygomyceten (O. Brefeld Bot. Untersuchungen über Schimmelpilze (1872) I. 53): see zygo- comb. form, mycetes n.2

## Meaning & use

Botany.

1. 1887–
   With plural agreement. A class of saprophytic and parasitic fungi in which sexual reproduction is by fusion of usually similar gametangia to produce a zygospore and asexual reproduction is by means of non-motile spores; fungi of this class. Occasionally in singular Zygomycete noun
   1. [1874

      > Brefeld does not admit that Chætocladium and Piptocephalis possess sporangia, but only conidia. According to his views, therefore, the term Zygomycetes is more expressive than Mucorini, which he restricts to the sporangiferous Zygomycetes. This, however, appears to us founded on an error.

      Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science vol. 14 56]
   2. 1887

      > This coincidence with a fixed period of the year is at least not a general rule in the zygospores of the Zygomycetes.

      H. E. F. Garnsey & I. B. Balfour, translation of H. A. de Bary, Comparative Morphology & Biology of Fungi vi. 345
   3. 1930

      > The origin of the Zygomycete line is somewhat more obscure, though forms possessing one or more undoubted zygomycetous characters exist among the Ancylistales and Chytridiales.

      H. M. Fitzpatrick, Lower Fungi: Phycomycetes ii. 34
   4. 1937

      > The Zygomycetes..are the first fungi to colonise dung.

      H. Gwynne-Vaughan & B. F. Barnes, Structure & Development of Fungi (ed. 2) 16
   5. 1978

      > There are several eukaryote groups where there is, so far, no solidly based evidence for a flagellate ancestry:..(4) zygomycete fungi.

      Bio Systems vol. 10 97/2
   6. 1979

      > There are three main methods by which spores are actively released: the bursting of a turgid cell (ascomycetes and some zygomycetes), the rounding off of a surface under tension (some zygomycetes, some basidiomycetes) and the so-called ballistospore discharge.

      I. K. Ross, Biology of Fungi xiii. 378
   fungi
   1. aecidium 1751–
      Any fungus of the former genus of pathogenic fungi, Aecidium, now known to represent the aecial stage (anamorph) of rusts of the genus Puccinia and…
   2. Lactarius 1821–
      A large, widely distributed genus of ectomycorrhizal fungi of the family Russulaceae, the members of which typically have a fruiting body with a…
   3. lower fungus 1821–
      Any of a large group of fungi and fungus-like organisms, including many parasitic and aquatic forms, which are simple in structure and typically…
   4. Armillaria 1829–
      A genus of agaric (family Tricholomataceae), members of which have an annulus on the stalk; (also armillaria) a fungus of this genus, esp. the…
   5. russula 1835–
      Any of the mycorrhizal fungi constituting the large genus Russula (family Russulaceae); the (often edible) fleshy fruiting body of such a fungus…
   6. hyphomycetes 1836–
      With plural agreement. Imperfect fungi of the group Hyphomycetes; filamentous moulds bearing naked, asexual spores.
   7. Penicillium 1836–
      Mycology. A genus of ascomycetous fungi, including various species causing mould on foodstuffs and storage rots of fruits, and several used…
   8. discomycete 1842–
      Any of numerous ascomycete fungi constituting the (former) order or class Discomycetes, characterized by a fruiting surface that is well exposed…
   9. Ascomycetes 1857–
      A class of fungi (see ascomycetous, adj.); in singular ascomycete n. a fungus belonging to this class.
   10. Pyrenomycetes 1857–
       With singular agreement: a former class of fungi (now called Sordariomycetes), constituting a subgroup of the Ascomycota characterized by having the…
   11. coniomycetes 1866–
       With plural agreement. A group of fungi, so named from their dusty spores. The division is no longer retained, its members being distributed among…
   12. phalloid 1880–
       Mycology. A fungus of the order Phallales.
   13. gasteromycete 1885–
       A gasteromycetous fungus.
   14. hymenomycete 1887–
       One of the Hymenomycetes, an order of fungi in which the hymenium is on the exposed surface of the sporophore.
   15. Zygomycetes 1887–
       With plural agreement. A class of saprophytic and parasitic fungi in which sexual reproduction is by fusion of usually similar gametangia to produce…
   16. phycomycete 1889–
       Any of a large and heterogeneous group of lower fungi comprising the (former) class or suborder Phycomycetes, characterized by mycelia with few…
   17. half-lichen 1892–
       Any of various ascomycete fungi which live in association with an alga as a parasite.
   18. autobasidiomycete 1895–
       A fungus belonging to the Autobasidiomycetes, a former division of the phylum Basidiomycota (the basidiomycetes), including mushrooms, toadstools…
   19. Phomopsis 1911–
       A genus of plant-parasitic mitosporic (imperfect) fungi, members of which are anamorphic forms of the genus Diaporthe (family Valsaceae) and…
   20. Rhizoctonia 1916–
       A genus of imperfect fungi comprising plant pathogens which attack the roots or lower stem parts of various hosts, and are responsible for a number…
   View in Historical Thesaurus
   1. Rhizoctonia 1823–
      A genus of imperfect fungi comprising plant pathogens which attack the roots or lower stem parts of various hosts, and are responsible for a number…
   2. discomycetous 1855–
      Of or relating to the (former) order or class Discomycetes of fungi; resembling fungi of this group, esp. in possessing a discocarp; (of lichens)…
   3. hymenomycetoid 1857–
      Resembling a hymenomycete.
   4. pyrenomycetous 1857–
      Of or belonging to the former class Pyrenomycetes of fungi; of, relating to, or of the nature of a pyrenomycete.
   5. gasteromycetous 1861–
      Of, belonging to, or relating to the Gasteromycetes, one of the orders of Fungi.
   6. hymenomycetous 1866–
   7. ascomycetous 1867–
   8. coniomycetous 1872–
   9. hymenomycetal 1875–
      Belonging to or having the nature of a hymenomycete.
   10. phycomycetous 1883–
       Of or relating to the former class Phycomycetes of lower fungi; of the nature of a phycomycete.
   11. hyphomycetous 1887–
       Of or belonging to the Hyphomycetes, a group of fungi consisting simply of hyphæ (Martius Flora Crypt. Erlang. 1817).
   12. zygomycetous 1928–
   13. Zygomycetes 1930–
       With plural agreement. A class of saprophytic and parasitic fungi in which sexual reproduction is by fusion of usually similar gametangia to produce…
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˌzʌɪɡə(ʊ)mʌɪˈsiːtiːz/
zigh-goh-migh-SEE-teez

### U.S. English

/ˌzaɪɡəˌmaɪˈsidiz/
zigh-guh-migh-SEE-deez
/ˌzaɪɡoʊˌmaɪˈsidiz/
zigh-goh-migh-SEE-deez

####

##### 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 (rare) zygomycetes.

## Frequency

Zygomycetes typically occurs about 0.03 times per million words in modern written English.

Zygomycetes is in frequency band 3, which contains words occurring between 0.01 and 0.1 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 Zygomycetes, n., 1880–2010

* 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
--- | ---
1880 | 0.021
1890 | 0.023
1900 | 0.023
1910 | 0.022
1920 | 0.021
1930 | 0.019
1940 | 0.021
1950 | 0.023
1960 | 0.024
1970 | 0.026
1980 | 0.03
1990 | 0.033
2000 | 0.036
2010 | 0.038

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

Zygomycetes, n. was last modified in September 2023.