zygosphere, n.

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

# zygospherenoun

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zygosphere mean?

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

#### British English

/ˈzʌɪɡəsfɪə/
ZIGH-guhss-feer
/ˈzɪɡəsfɪə/
ZIG-uhss-feer

#### U.S. English

/ˈzaɪɡəˌsfɪ(ə)r/
ZIGH-guh-sfeer
/ˈzɪɡəˌsfɪ(ə)r/
ZIG-uh-sfeer

### Where does the noun zygosphere come from?

Earliest known use

1880s

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

### Nearby entries

1. zygophyllaceous, adj. 1887–
2. zygophyte, n. 1885–
3. zygopleura, n. 1883–
4. zygopterid, n. & adj. 1900–
5. zygosis, n. 1880–
6. zygosity, n. 1952–
7. zygosome, n. 1905–
8. zygosperm, n. 1880–
9. zygosphenal, adj. 1854–
10. zygosphene, n. 1854–
11. zygosphere, n.1880–
12. zygospondyline, adj. 1892–
13. zygospore, n. 1864–
14. zygosporic, adj. 1906–
15. zygostat, n. 1623
16. zygostatical, adj. 1656
17. zygostyle, n. 1881–
18. zygote, n. 1891–
19. zygotene, n. 1911–
20. zygotic, adj. 1909–
21. -zygotic, comb. form

## Etymology

After oosphere n.

## Meaning & use

1. 1880–
   Either of the two conjugating cells or gametes which form a zygospore.
   1. 1880
      [see zygosperm n.].
   plants
   1. zygospore 1864–
      A spore formed by conjugation; a germ-cell arising from the fusion of two similar cells (gametes), as in certain Algæ and Fungi.
   2. zygosperm 1880–
      = zygospore, n.
   3. zygosphere 1880–
      Either of the two conjugating cells or gametes which form a zygospore.
   4. azygospore 1889–
      A parthenogenetic zygospore.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈzʌɪɡəsfɪə/
ZIGH-guhss-feer
/ˈzɪɡəsfɪə/
ZIG-uhss-feer

### U.S. English

/ˈzaɪɡəˌsfɪ(ə)r/
ZIGH-guh-sfeer
/ˈzɪɡəˌsfɪ(ə)r/
ZIG-uh-sfeer

####

##### 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

Originally published as part of the entry for zygo-, comb. form

zygo-, comb. form was first published in 1921; not fully revised.