zanyish, adj.

zanyish
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zanyish_adj%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
First published 2024

# zanyishadjective

## Factsheet

### What does the adjective zanyish mean?

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

### How is the adjective zanyish pronounced?

#### British English

/ˈzeɪniɪʃ/
ZAY-nee-ish

#### U.S. English

/ˈzeɪniɪʃ/
ZAY-nee-ish

### Where does the adjective zanyish come from?

Earliest known use

1840s

The earliest known use of the adjective zanyish is in the 1840s.

OED's earliest evidence for zanyish is from 1843, in the Argus.

zanyish is formed within English, by derivation.

Etymons: zany n., ‑ish suffix2.

### Nearby entries

1. Zande, n. 1873–
2. zander, n. 1854–
3. zanella, n. 1876–
4. zanily, adv. 1936–
5. zaniness, n. 1933–
6. Zante, n. 1615–
7. Zantedeschia, n. 1836–
8. ZANU, n. 1963–
9. zany, n. & adj. 1582–
10. zany, v. 1602–1894
11. zanyish, adj.1843–
12. zanyism, n. 1823–
13. zanyship, n. 1766–1839
14. Zanzibari, n. & adj. 1882–
15. zap, n. 1968–
16. zap, v. 1942–
17. zap, int. 1929–
18. Zapata, n. 1962–
19. zapateado, n. 1845–
20. Zapatism, n. 1911–
21. Zapatismo, n. 1913–

## Etymology

### Summary

Formed within English, by derivation.
< zany n. + ‑ish suffix2.

## Meaning & use

Now rare (archaic in later use).

1. 1843–
   Characteristic of or resembling a zany (in various senses of zany n.), esp. in being foolish, ridiculous, or wildly irrational.
   1. 1843

      > The Corn-laws are an abominable, beastly, cruel,..wicked excessive, yearly, zanyish Imposition.

      Argus 4 February 12/2
   2. 1844

      > How Pretence Worms at the heart of movements and of modes, Dictates our..zestless customs, and our zanyish codes.

      Punch 6 September 117/2
   3. 1917

      > Mahony could not help feeling a trifle sore in advance..at the zanyish figure he was going to be obliged to cut.

      H. H. Richardson, Fortunes of Richard Mahony vol. I. iv. x. 378
   4. 1964

      > He..found delight in the filthiest gossip, the most obscene satire, cudgelings, banquets and zanyish pranks.

      I. Bloch, Sexual Extremeties of World i. i. 41
   archaic

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈzeɪniɪʃ/
ZAY-nee-ish

### U.S. English

/ˈzeɪniɪʃ/
ZAY-nee-ish

####

##### 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

zanyish, adj. was first published in March 2024.

zanyish, adj. was last modified in June 2024.