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Zehner

An Austrian silver coin equal to ten kreutzers, or about five cents.

Zein

A nitrogenous substance of the nature of gluten, obtained from the seeds of Indian corn (Zea) as a soft, yellowish, amorphous substance.

Zeitgeist

The spirit of the time; the general intellectual and moral state or temper characteristic of any period of time.

Zemni

The blind mole rat (Spalax typhlus), native of Eastern Europe and Asia. Its eyes and ears are rudimentary, and its fur is soft and brownish, more or less tinged with gray. It constructs extensive burrows.

Zemstvo

In Russia, an elective local district and provincial administrative assembly. Originally it was composed of representatives elected by the peasantry, the householders of the towns, and the landed proprietors. In the reign of Alexander III. the power of the noble landowners was increased, the peasants allowed only to elect candidates from whom the governor of the province nominated the deputy, and all acts of the zemstvo subjected to the approval of the governor. Theoretically the zemstvo has large powers relating to taxation, education, public health, etc., but practically these powers are in most cases limited to the adjustment of the state taxation.

Zenana

The part of a dwelling appropriated to women.

Zend

Properly, the translation and exposition in the Huzv/resh, or literary Pehlevi, language, of the Avesta, the Zoroastrian sacred writings; as commonly used, the language (an ancient Persian dialect) in which the Avesta is written.

Zend-Avesta

The sacred writings of the ancient Persian religion, attributed to Zoroaster, but chiefly of a later date.

Zendik

An atheist or unbeliever; -- name given in the East to those charged with disbelief of any revealed religion, or accused of magical heresies.

Zenick

A South African burrowing mammal (Suricata tetradactyla), allied to the civets. It is grayish brown, with yellowish transverse stripes on the back. Called also suricat.

Zeolite

A term now used to designate any one of a family of minerals, hydrous silicates of alumina, with lime, soda, potash, or rarely baryta. Here are included natrolite, stilbite, analcime, chabazite, thomsonite, heulandite, and others. These species occur of secondary origin in the cavities of amygdaloid, basalt, and lava, also, less frequently, in granite and gneiss. So called because many of these species intumesce before the blowpipe.

Zeolitic

Of or pertaining to a zeolite; consisting of, or resembling, a zeolite.

Zephyr

The west wind; poetically, any soft, gentle breeze.

Zephyrus

The west wind, or zephyr; -- usually personified, and made the most mild and gentle of all the sylvan deities.

Zeppelin

A dirigible balloon of the rigid type, consisting of a cylindrical trussed and covered frame supported by internal gas cells, and provided with means of propulsion and control. It was first successfully used by Ferdinand Count von Zeppelin.

Zest

To cut into thin slips, as the peel of an orange, lemon, etc.; to squeeze, as peel, over the surface of anything.

zestful

Marked by spirited enjoyment.

zesty

Having a pleasantly stimulating flavor. Opposite of bland.

Zeta

A Greek letter [/] corresponding to our z.

Zetetic

A seeker; -- a name adopted by some of the Pyrrhonists.

Zetetics

A branch of algebra which relates to the direct search for unknown quantities.

Zeuglodon

A genus of extinct Eocene whales, remains of which have been found in the Gulf States. The species had very long and slender bodies and broad serrated teeth. See Phocodontia.

Zeugma

A figure by which an adjective or verb, which agrees with a nearer word, is, by way of supplement, referred also to another more remote; as, /hic illius arma, hic currus fuit;/ where fuit, which agrees directly with currus, is referred also to arma.

Zeugmatic

Of or pertaining to zeugma; characterized by zeugma.

Zeus

The chief deity of the Greeks, and ruler of the upper world (cf. Hades). He was identified with Jupiter.

Zeuzerian

Any one of a group of bombycid moths of which the genus Zeuzera is the type. Some of these moths are of large size. The goat moth is an example.

Zibeth Zibet

A carnivorous mammal (Viverra zibetha) closely allied to the civet, from which it differs in having the spots on the body less distinct, the throat whiter, and the black rings on the tail more numerous.

Ziega

Curd produced from milk by adding acetic acid, after rennet has ceased to cause coagulation.

Zietrisikite

A mineral wax, vert similar to ozocerite. It is found at Zietrisika, Moldavia, whence its name.

Zif

The second month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year, corresponding to our May.

Ziggurat

A temple tower of the Babylonians or Assyrians, consisting of a lofty pyramidal structure, built in successive stages, with outside staircases, and a shrine at the top; -- called also zikkurat.

Zigzag

To move in a zigzag manner; also, to have a zigzag shape.

Zigzaggery

The quality or state of being zigzag; crookedness.

Zikkurat

A temple tower of the Babylonians or Assyrians, consisting of a lofty pyramidal structure, built in successive stages, with outside staircases, and a shrine at the top; -- called also ziggurat.

Zilla

A low, thorny, suffrutescent, crucifeous plant (Zilla myagroides) found in the deserts of Egypt. Its leaves are boiled in water, and eaten, by the Arabs.

Zillah

A district or local division, as of a province.

Zimb

A large, venomous, two-winged fly, native of Abyssinia. It is allied to the tsetse fly, and, like the latter, is destructive to cattle.

Ziment-water

A kind of water found in copper mines; water impregnated with copper.

Zimocca

A sponge (Euspongia zimocca) of flat form and fine quality, from the Adriatic, about the Greek islands, and the coast of Barbary.

Zinc

To coat with zinc; to galvanize.

Zincic

Pertaining to, containing, or resembling, zinc; zincous.

Zincification

The act or process of applying zinc; the condition of being zincified, or covered with zinc; galvanization.

Zincify

To coat or impregnate with zinc.

Zincite

Native zinc oxide; a brittle, translucent mineral, of an orange-red color; -- called also red zinc ore, and red oxide of zinc.

Zincky

Pertaining to zinc, or having its appearance.

Zinco-polar

Electrically polarized like the surface of the zinc presented to the acid in a battery, which has zincous affinity.

Zincode

The positive electrode of an electrolytic cell; anode.

Zincograph

A zinc plate prepared for printing by zincography; also, a print from such a plate.

Zincography

The art or process of engraving or etching on zinc, in which the design is left in relief in the style of a wood cut, the rest of the ground being eaten away by acid.

Zincoid

Pertaining to, or resembling, zinc; -- said of the electricity of the zincous plate in connection with a copper plate in a voltaic circle; also, designating the positive pole.

Zincous

Of, pertaining to, or containing, zinc; zincic; as, zincous salts. Hence, formerly, basic, basylous, as opposed to chlorous.

Zingel

A small, edible, freshwater European perch (Aspro zingel), having a round, elongated body and prominent snout.

Zingiberaceous

Of or pertaining to ginger, or to a tribe (Zingibereae) of endogenous plants of the order Scitamineae. See Scitamineous.

Zinkenite

A steel-gray metallic mineral, a sulphide of antimony and lead.

Zinnia

Any plant of the composite genus Zinnia, Mexican herbs with opposite leaves and large gay-colored blossoms. Zinnia elegans is the commonest species in cultivation.

Zinnwaldite

A kind of mica containing lithium, often associated with tin ore.

Zionism

Among the Jews, a theory, plan, or movement for colonizing their own race in Palestine, the land of Zion, or, if that is impracticable, elsewhere, either for religious or nationalizing purposes; -- called also Zion movement.

Zip

To make, or move with, a sound like a zip{1}.

zip + 4

a full nine-digit zip code. See zip code.

zip code

Any one of a set of numbers assigned by the United States Postal Service to designate a particular postal delivery area. One or more zip codes are assigned to each post office. The numbers initially had five digits (the initial code), indicating state and post office. Later, four more optional digits were added (the expanded code) indicating the box number or delivery route. The full set of nine digits is also referred to as zip + 4. The code is appended in an address to the line bearing the city and state names, as in /Plainfield, NJ 07062/.

zip-code

to affix a zip code to (an address or a letter).

Zip-fastener

a device for locking together two toothed edges by means of a sliding tab.

Ziphiidae

A natural family of cetaceans comprising the beaked whales; in some esp. former classifications included in the family Physeteridae.

zipper

a device for locking together two toothed edges by means of a sliding tab.

zippy

quick and energetic.

Zircofluoride

A double fluoride of zirconium and hydrogen, or some other positive element or radical; as, zircofluoride of sodium.

Zircon

A mineral consisting predominantly of zirconium silicate (Zr2SiO4) occurring in tetragonal crystals, usually of a brown or gray color. It consists of silica and zirconia. A red variety, used as a gem, is called hyacinth. Colorless, pale-yellow or smoky-brown varieties from Ceylon are called jargon.

Zirconia

The oxide of zirconium (ZrO2), obtained as a white powder, and possessing both acid and basic properties. On account of its infusibility, and brilliant luminosity when incandescent, it is used as an ingredient of sticks for the Drummomd light.

Zirconic

Pertaining to, containing, or resembling, zirconium; as, zirconic oxide; zirconic compounds.

Zirconium

A rare element of the carbon-silicon group, intermediate between the metals and nonmetals, obtained from the mineral zircon as a dark sooty powder, or as a gray metallic crystalline substance. Symbol Zr. Atomic weight, 90.4.

Zirconoid

A double eight-sided pyramid, a form common with tetragonal crystals; -- so called because this form often occurs in crystals of zircon.

Zither

An instrument of music used in Austria and Germany. It has from thirty to forty wires strung across a shallow sounding-board, which lies horizontally on a table before the performer, who uses both hands in playing on it. [Not to be confounded with the old lute-shaped cittern, or cithern.]

ziti

A tubular pasta in short pieces.

Zizania

A genus of grasses including Indian rice. See Indian rice, under Rice.

Zizith

The tassels of twisted cords or threads on the corners of the upper garment worn by strict Jews. The Hebrew for this word is translated in both the Authorized and Revised Versions (Deut. xxii. 12) by the word /fringes./

Zoanthacea

A suborder of Actinaria, including Zoanthus and allied genera, which are permanently attached by their bases.

Zoantharian

Of or pertaining to the Zoantharia. One of the Anthozoa.

Zoanthodeme

The zooids of a compound anthozoan, collectively.

Zoanthropy

A kind of monomania in which the patient believes himself transformed into one of the lower animals.

Zoanthus

A genus of Actinaria, including numerous species, found mostly in tropical seas. The zooids or polyps resemble small, elongated actinias united together at their bases by fleshy stolons, and thus forming extensive groups. The tentacles are small and bright colored.

Zobo

A kind of domestic cattle reared in Asia for its flesh and milk. It is supposed to be a hybrid between the zebu and the yak.

Zocor

a trade name for simvastatin.

Zodiacal

Of or pertaining to the zodiac; situated within the zodiac; as, the zodiacal planets.

Zoea

A peculiar larval stage of certain decapod Crustacea, especially of crabs and certain Anomura.

Zoetrope

An optical toy, in which figures made to revolve on the inside of a cylinder, and viewed through slits in its circumference, appear like a single figure passing through a series of natural motions as if animated or mechanically moved.

Zohar

A Jewish cabalistic book attributed by tradition to Rabbi Simon ben Yochi, who lived about the end of the 1st century, a. d. Modern critics believe it to be a compilation of the 13th century.

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