First published 1986; not fully revised
Zou-Zounoun
Factsheet
What does the noun Zou-Zou mean?
There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun Zou-Zou. 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 Zou-Zou pronounced?
British English
/ˈzuːzuː/
Where does the noun Zou-Zou come from?
Earliest known use
1860s
The earliest known use of the noun Zou-Zou is in the 1860s.
OED's earliest evidence for Zou-Zou is from 1860, in Leisure Hour.
Zou-Zou is a borrowing from French.
Nearby entries
- zorrino, n.1885–
- zorro, n.1838–
- zos-grass, n.1937–
- zoster, n.1601–
- zostera, n.1819–
- zosterops, n.1867–
- Zouave, n.1848–
- zouk, n.1986–
- zounds, v.1680
- zounds, int.a1593–
- Zou-Zou, n.1860–
- zowie, int.1902–
- zoysia, n.1965–
- ZPG, n.1970–
- Zr, n.1814–
- zubr, n.1763–
- zubrowka, n.1916–
- zucarine, adj.a1425
- zucca, n.1818–
- zucchetto, n.1853–
- zucchini, n.1916–
Etymology
Summary
A borrowing from French.
Meaning & use
colloquial (now historical).
- 1860–= Zouave n. 1.
- 1860
The gamins of Paris, we believe, first applied to the world-renowned Zouaves the pet name of Zous-Zous; and France has confirmed the pleasant diminutive.
Leisure Hour 15 March 190/2 - 1863
A zou-zou..found himself arrested by the guard.
Harper's Magazine March 569/2 - 1866
He soon after moved off, followed by the Zou-zous.
L. P. Brockett, Camp, Battlefield, & Hosp. iii. 458 - 1894
In the formal dusty gardens were the same pioupious and zouzous still walking with the same nounous.
G. Du Maurier, Trilby vol. II. vi. 208 - 1944
Tom thought it was the boy who sang the Zu-Zu song at the creek.
J. S. Pennell, History of Rome Hanks 70
- spahi1562–A horseman forming one of a body of cavalry which formerly constituted an important part of the Turkish army and was to some extent organized on a…
- legionnaire1595–A member of a legion; esp. (frequently with capital initial) a member of a named legion, as the American Legion, the Royal British Legion, or the…
- strelitz1603–A soldier belonging to a body of Russian troops composed of infantry raised by the Tsar Ivan the Terrible (1533–84) and abolished by Peter the…
- Croat1623–A member of any of various light cavalry regiments composed (originally or primarily) of Croats. Now historical.
- deli1667–A member of a former light cavalry unit within the Turkish infantry that served as the vizier's personal retinue and acted as a shock troop.
- Croatian1700A native or inhabitant of Croatia, a country in south-eastern Europe on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea; (in some historical contexts) a member…
- lancer1712A (cavalry) soldier armed with a lance; now only, a soldier belonging to one of certain regiments officially called Lancers.
- highlander1725–Chiefly with capital initial. Military. A member of a Highland regiment or other military unit originally composed of Highlanders (sense 1a) or…
- lambs1744–plural. The name given to the proverbially cruel and rapacious soldiers of Col. Kirke's regiment in 1684–6, in ironical allusion to the device of…
- royals1762–In plural. The members of the former Royal Scots Regiment of the British army.
- light-bob1778–(A nickname for) a soldier in a light infantry company. Also in plural with the and capital initial: (a nickname for) a particular regiment of the…
- fly-slicer1785–(See quot.).
- Life Guardsman1785–A soldier belonging to the Life Guards.
- royals?1795–In plural. The members of the former Royal Dragoons (1st Dragoons) regiment of the British army. Now historical except in Blues and Royals n. at blue…
- Hottentot1796–South African. A member of the Hottentot Corps (later the Cape Corps), a military corps of Khoekhoe soldiers; spec. = pandour, n. 2. Now historical.
- yeoman1798–spec. A member of the (Imperial) Yeomanry: see yeomanry, n. I.3.
- pandour1800–South African. A member of a chiefly Khoekhoe regiment established in 1793 by the Dutch East India Company for the defence of the Cape of Good…
- Faugh-a-Ballaghsc1811–In plural, the nickname of the Royal Irish Fusiliers (formerly the 87th Foot). Also elliptical, as Faughs n.
- forty-two man1816–attributive in forty-two man n., a man of the 42nd regiment.
- kilty1842–One who wears a kilt; esp. a nickname for a Highland soldier. Also, attributive and as adj.
- Zouave1848–One of a body of light infantry in the French army, originally recruited from the Algerian Kabyle tribe of Zouaoua, but afterwards composed of French…
- bumblerc1850English regional (north-eastern) disparaging. A member of the Newcastle Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry (see yeomanry, n. I.3). Obsolete.
- Inniskilliner1853–A member of the Inniskilling regiment.
- turco1853–An Algerian soldier serving in the French army. Cf. Zouave, n. 1a.
- blue cap1857–Military slang (now historical). Originally: a soldier belonging to the Royal Madras Fusiliers; (later) a soldier belonging to the Royal Dublin…
- Zou-Zou1860–= Zouave, n. 1.
- Cape boy1878–A man or boy of mixed ethnic descent (cf. coloured, adj. A.I.3d) born or living in the Western Cape of South Africa; spec. a member of a force of… Now offensive except in the specific historical military senses (see also sense 2); cf. boy, n.¹ A.1c.
- mudlark1878–colloquial. Chiefly in plural. (A nickname for) a soldier of the Royal Engineers.
- king's man1883–British Army. Now usually as one word. Originally: a member of the King's Regiment (now historical). In later use usually spec.: (a title for) a…
- Johnny1888–In specific uses. Sometimes as an abbreviation of the fuller names treated at compounds C.1. British slang (originally and chiefly Military). (A…
- Piffer1892–A member of the Punjab Irregular Frontier Force, a military unit raised in 1849 chiefly for the purpose of controlling the North-West Frontier of…
- Johnny Gurkha1894–(A generic name for) a Gurkha; Gurkhas collectively.
- evzone1897–A member of a select infantry regiment in the Greek army, originally recruited from the Greek highlands and conspicuous for their uniform which…
- horse gunner1897–A member of the Royal Horse Artillery.
- fair dink1905–Used (as a question) to express surprise or doubt, and solicit confirmation. Also used conversationally to emphasize the truthfulness or sincerity…
- army ranger1910–(Originally) a member of the army engaged in protective or non-combat duties in a particular area (cf. ranger, n.¹ 5a); (now) spec. a member of…
- grognard1912–A soldier of Napoleon's Old Guard. Also transferred, a veteran soldier.
- Jock1914–slang. (A nickname for) a Scottish person, esp. a Scottish man. Frequently spec.: a Scottish soldier; a member of a Scottish regiment. Occasionally…
- chocolate soldier1915–Australian (originally disparaging). In the First World War (1914–18): a soldier in the 8th Infantry Brigade of the Australian Imperial Force…
- Cook's tourist1915–Military slang (usually disparaging or derogatory). A member of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps expeditionary force in the First World War…
- dinks1916–In plural with the. In the First World War (1914–18): the New Zealand Rifle Brigade.
- dinkum1916–An Australian or New Zealand soldier in the First World War (1914–18); an Anzac; spec. (frequently in plural, with the) a member of either the…
- Anzaca1918–A member of any later combined Australian and New Zealand force, esp. one of those active in the First World War (1914–18) or Second World War…
- choc1917–Australian (originally disparaging). In the First World War (1914–18): a soldier in the 8th Infantry Brigade of the Australian Imperial Force…
- ranger1942–Chiefly U.S. With capital initial. A member of an elite American military unit specially trained for close combat and raiding; = commando, n. 3a.
- Chindit1943–A member of an Allied force fighting behind Japanese lines in Burma (Myanmar) during the Second World War (1939–45).
- Desert Rat1944–A soldier of the 7th (British) armoured division, whose divisional sign was the figure of a jerboa, and which took part in the desert campaign in…
- Green Beret1949–A member of one of the special operations forces having a green beret as part of their uniform, esp. those in the British Army (the Commandos)…
- blue beret1958–(Chiefly in plural) a member of a United Nations peacekeeping force, having a blue beret as part of their uniform; cf. blue helmet, n.
- Black Beret1966–Chiefly in plural a. a member of any of various elite military units having a black beret as part of their uniform; b. a member of any of various…
- Jersey blue1758–a. A colonial New Jersey soldier (so called from his blue uniform); b. a native or inhabitant of New Jersey; c. a breed of chicken.
- shirtman1775–A colonial rifleman during the American War of Independence.
- Yorker1776–An inhabitant or a soldier of New York.
- buckskin1783–1835A nickname of the American troops during the Revolutionary war; (hence) a person born in America. Also attributive.
- Indian fighter1824–A person, esp. a soldier, noted for fighting North American Indigenous people.
- blue belly1827–Originally and chiefly U.S. regional (southern). Usually derogatory. A blue-bellied person (blue-bellied, adj. 1), one regarded as low, contemptible, or cowardly; spec. (a) a northerner; (b) a northern soldier…
- greyback1854–A member of a military or police force whose uniform includes, or consists of, a grey coat; spec. (U.S. colloquial) a soldier of the Confederate army…
- Zouave1860–A soldier of any of several volunteer regiments, assuming the name and in part the uniform of the French Zouaves, which served on the side of the…
- Zou-Zou1860–= Zouave, n. 1.
- greycoat1861–A member of a military or police force whose uniform includes, or consists of, a grey coat; spec. (U.S.) a soldier of the Confederate army in the…
- grey1862–U.S. The grey uniform of Confederate soldiers in the American Civil War (1861–5). Hence also: a Confederate soldier. Cf. greyback, n. 2, blue, n.…
- Johnny1862–In specific uses. Sometimes as an abbreviation of the fuller names treated at compounds C.1. U.S. Among Unionist soldiers in the American Civil War…
- Johnny Reb1862–(A generic name for) a member of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War (1861–5); (also) Confederate troops collectively (now histo…
- blue1870–A person in a blue uniform. Usually in plural and with capital initial: any of various soldiers distinguished by the wearing of blue; spec. (a) a…
- blue coat1885–Now usually in form bluecoat. A person whose uniform includes or is distinguished by a blue coat. A soldier wearing a blue coat; spec. a soldier…
- dogface1932–U.S. slang. A soldier, esp. an infantryman, in the U.S. army.
Pronunciation
British English
/ˈzuːzuː/
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
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.