ZELOTYPIA, zel-[=o]-tip'i-a, _n._ morbid zeal in the prosecution of any
project or cause. [Gr. _z[=e]lotypia_, jealousy, _z[=e]los_, zeal,
_typtein_, to strike.]
ZEMINDAR, zem-in-dar', _n._ under the Mogul emperors of India, the farmer
of revenue from land held in common by the cultivators, as responsible for
the revenue--now the actual native proprietor paying revenue direct, and
not to any intermediate superior--also ZAMINDAR'.--_n._ ZEM'INDARY, the
jurisdiction of a zemindar, the system of land-tenure and taxation under
such--also ZAM'INDARI, ZEM'INDARI, &c. [Pers. _zem[=i]nd[=a]r_, a
landholder.]
ZEMSTVO, zems'tv[=o], _n._ in Russia, a district and provincial assembly to
which the administration of the economic affairs of the district and the
province was committed in 1866, but whose rights were much curtailed in
1890. [Russ.]
ZENANA, ze-nä'na, _n._ the apartments in which Indian women are secluded,
corresponding to the _harem_ in Arabic-speaking Moslem lands.--ZENANA
MISSION, a mission to Hindu women, necessarily conducted by women. [Pers.
_zan[=a]na_--_zan_, a woman.]
ZEND, zend, _n._ the ancient East-Iranian and purely Aryan language, in
which the Zend-Avesta was long orally preserved and at last
written--closely related to the Vedic Sanskrit.--ZEND-AVESTA, the ancient
sacred writings of the Parsees, including works of widely differing
character and age, collected into their present canon under Shah-puhar II.
(Shah-pur II.; 309-338 A.D.). [A word meaning 'commentary' (_zend_=_zand_,
from Sans. _jñâ_, to know).]
ZENDIK, zen'dik, _n._ an unbeliever in revealed religion in the East, one
who practises magic. [Ar. _zend[=i]q_.]
ZENITH, zen'ith, _n._ that point of the heavens which is exactly
overhead--i.e. in line with the spectator's position and the centre of the
earth (it is thus the upper pole of the spectator's horizon, as the _nadir_
is the under pole): greatest height, summit of ambition, &c.--_adj._
ZEN'ITHAL.--_ns._ ZEN'ITH-DIS'TANCE, the angular distance of a heavenly
body from the zenith; ZEN'ITH-SEC'TOR, an instrument for measuring
zenith-distances. [Fr., through Sp. _zenit_, from Ar. _samt_, short for
_samt-ur-ras_, lit. 'way of the head.']
ZEOLITE, z[=e]'[=o]-l[=i]t, _n._ the common name of a large group of
minerals often called the Zeolitic family--they are all soluble in acids,
and most of them gelatinise in acids in consequence of silica being set
free.--_adjs._ ZEOLIT'IC; ZEOLIT'IFORM. [Gr. _zeein_, to boil, _lithos_, a
stone.]
ZEPHYR, zef'ir, _n._ the west wind: a soft, gentle breeze: thin light
worsted or woollen yarn, also a close-fitting jersey or undergarment made
of such: anything very light and fine of its kind.--ZEPHYR CLOTH, a thin,
finely spun woollen cloth for women's gowns. [Gr. _zephyros_--_zophos_,
darkness, the dark quarter, the west.]
ZERDA, zer'da, _n._ a small African fox, a fennec.
ZEREBA=_Zareba_ (q.v.).
ZERO, z[=e]'ro, _n._ cipher: nothing: the point from which the reckoning
begins on scales, such as those of the barometer, &c. [Fr.,--Ar. _sifr_.
Doublet _cipher_.]
ZERUMBET, z[=e]-rum'bet, _n._ an East Indian drug, the
cassumunar--sometimes for the round zedoary.
ZEST, zest, _n._ something that gives a relish: relish. [Fr. _zeste_, skin
of an orange or lemon used to give a flavour--L. _schistus_--Gr.
_schistos_, cleft, divided--_schizein_, to cleave.]
ZETA, z[=e]'ta, _n._ a small closet or parlour, the sexton's room over the
porch of a church. [Gr. _diaita_, a dwelling.]
ZETETIC, z[=e]-tet'ik, _adj._ proceeding by inquiry.--_n._ a seeker, the
name taken by some of the Pyrrhonists. [Gr. _z[=e]t[=e]tikos_--_z[=e]tein_,
to seek.]
ZEUGLODON, z[=u]g'l[=o]-don, _n._ a fossil whale-like mammal, so named by
Owen from the yoke-like double-rooted formation of its cheek teeth.--_adj._
and _n._ ZEUG'LODONT.--_n.pl._ ZEUGLODON'TIA, a suborder of _Cetacea_,
represented by the zeuglodonts. [Gr. _zeugl[=e]_, the strap or loop of the
yoke, _odous_, _-ontos_, a tooth.]
ZEUGMA, z[=u]g'ma, _n._ (_gram._) 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, whether grammatically corresponding or not.--_adj._
ZEUGMAT'IC. [Gr.,--_zeugnunai_, to yoke.]
ZEUS, z[=u]s, _n._ the greatest of the national deities of Greece, son of
Cronos (Saturn) and Rhea, brother of Poseidon (Neptune), Hades (Pluto),
Hestia (Vesta), Demeter (Ceres), and Hera (Juno). His consort was Hera; his
supreme seat, Mount Olympus in Thessaly. [Gr.]
ZEUXITE, z[=u]ks'[=i]t, _n._ a ferriferous tourmaline. [Gr.,--_zeuxis_,
joining--_zeugnunai_, to yoke.]
ZIAMET, zi-ä'met, _n._ a large military fief under the Turkish feudal
system. [Turk.]
ZIBELINE, zib'e-lin, _adj._ pertaining to the sable.--_n._ the fur of the
sable. [_Sable_.]