英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

zig (v.)[zig 词源字典]: 1969, from zigzag.[zig etymology, zig origin, 英语词源]
zig-zag (n.): also zigzag, 1712, from French zigzag (1670s), perhaps from German Zickzack (though this is attested only from 1703), possibly a reduplication of Zacke "tooth, prong." Earliest use in German is in reference to military siege approaches. Originally in English used to describe the layout of certain garden paths. As an adjective from 1750; the verb is recorded from 1774. The brand of cigarette paper is from 1909. Related: Zig-zagged; zig-zagging.
ziggurat (n.): also zikkurat, 1858, from Assyrian ziqquratu "height, pinnacle," from zaqaru "to be high."
zilch (n.): "nothing," 1957; "insignificant person," 1933, from use of Zilch as a generic comical-sounding surname for an insignificant person (especially Joe Zilch). There was a Mr. Zilch (1931), comic character in the magazine "Ballyhoo," and the use perhaps originated c. 1922 in U.S. college or theater slang. Probably a nonsense syllable, suggestive of the end of the alphabet, but Zilch is an actual German surname of Slavic origin.
The [Cadence] agency aims to have each album cover actually promote the record, on the theory that "the day of pretty, boffy, zoomy and zingy covers for the sake of zilch is no more." ["Billboard," Oct. 28, 1957]
zillion (n.): 1942, arbitrary coinage with no definite numerical value; first recorded in "Billboard."
Zimbabwe: southern African nation, 1980, named for an ancient city there, from Bantu zimba we bahwe "houses of stones," from zimba, plural of imba "house" + bahwe "stones." Previously known as Rhodesia (1964-80). Related: Zimbabwean.
zinc (n.): 1650s, zinke, from German Zink, perhaps related to Zinke "prong, point;" said to have been used first by Paracelsus (c. 1526) on analogy of the form of its crystals after smelting. Zinke is from Old High German zint "a point, jag," from Proto-Germanic *teng- "tine" (cognates: Old Norse tindr "point, top, summit," Old English tind "prong, spike"), from PIE *denk- "to bite." Spelling with -c- is from 1813, from French influence.
zine (n.): 1965, short for fanzine.
zinfandel (n.): 1896, "red or white dry California wine," origin uncertain; used earlier as the name of the grape from which it was made (1880). The wine itself is said to have been known in U.S. since 1829. Some wine experts suggest a corruption of the Austrian grape name Zierfandler, though these grapes are not related to those of zinfandel. See this article:
The similarity in the names Zinfandel and Zierfandler arouses some speculation. Modern vine identification systems did not yet exist in 1829, so it is conceivable that the cuttings George Gibbs imported to the USA had never been correctly identified in Austria.
zing (n.): 1911, "high pitched sound," of echoic origin. Slang meaning "energy, zest" is attested from 1918. Verb is from 1920; meaning "to deliver a stinging witticism or retort" is by 1975.
zinger (n.): "cruel quip," 1970, from zing + -er (1). Earlier it was baseball slang for "fastball" (by 1957).
zinnia (n.): genus of herbs of the aster family, 1767, from Modern Latin (Linnæus, 1763), named for German botanist Johann Gottfried Zinn (1729-1759) + abstract noun ending -ia.
Zion: late Old English Sion, from Greek Seon, from Hebrew Tsiyon, name of a Canaanite hill fortress in Jerusalem captured by David and called in the Bible "City of David." It became the center of Jewish life and worship.
Zionism (n.): "movement for forming (later supporting) a Jewish national state in Palestine," 1896, from German Zionismus (from Zion + Latin-derived suffix -ismus; see -ism); first recorded 1886 in "Selbstemancipation," by "Matthias Acher" (pseudonym of Nathan Birnbaum (1864-1937)).
Zionist: 1896 (adj. and noun), from Zion + -ist.
zip (v.1): "move rapidly," 1852, of echoic origin. Meaning "close with a zipper" is from 1932. Related: Zipped; zipping.
ZIP (adj.): 1963, in U.S. postal ZIP code, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, no doubt chosen with conscious echo of zip (v.1).
zip (n.2): "zero," 1900, student slang for a grade of zero on a test, etc.; of unknown origin; compare zilch.
zip (v.2): "to close or fasten by means of a zipper," 1932, back-formation from zipper (n.). Related: Zipped; zipping; zipless.
zip (n.1): "sound of something moving rapidly," 1875, imitative. Zip gun "homemade pistol" first recorded 1950.