Zoilean Zo·il"e·an adjective Having the characteristic of Zoilus , a bitter, envious, unjust critic, who lived about 270 years before Christ.

Zoilism Zo"i·lism noun Resemblance to Zoilus in style or manner; carping criticism; detraction.

Bring candid eyes the perusal of men's works, and let not Zoilism or detraction blast well-intended labors.

Sir T. Browne.

Zoisite Zois"ite noun [ After its discoverer, Von Zois , an Austrian mineralogist.] (Min.) A grayish or whitish mineral occurring in orthorhombic, prismatic crystals, also in columnar masses. It is a silicate of alumina and lime, and is allied to epidote.

Zoism Zo"ism noun [ Greek zwh` life + -ism .] 1. Reverence for animal life or belief in animal powers and influences, as among savages. 2. (Biol.) A doctrine, now discarded, that the phenomena of life are due to a peculiar vital principle; the theory of vital force.

Zokor Zo"kor noun (Zoology) An Asiatic burrowing rodent ( Siphneus aspalax ) resembling the mole rat. It is native of the Altai Mountains.

Zolaesque Zo`la·esque" adjective In the style of Zola (see Zolaism ).

Zolaism Zo"la·ism noun The literary theories and practices of the French novelist Emile Zola (1840-1902); naturalism, esp. in a derogatory sense. -- Zo"la*ist , noun -- Zo`la*is"tic adjective -- Zo"la*ize v.

Zollverein Zoll"ve·rein` noun [ G., from zoll duty + verein union.] Literally, a customs union; specifically, applied to the several customs unions successively formed under the leadership of Prussia among certain German states for establishing liberty of commerce among themselves and common tariff on imports, exports, and transit. » In 1834 a zollverein was established which included most of the principal German states except Austria. This was terminated by the events of 1866, and in 1867 a more closely organized union was formed, the administration of which was ultimately merged in that of the new German empire, with which it nearly corresponds territorially.

Zomboruk Zom"bo·ruk noun (Mil.) See Zumbooruk .

Zona Zo"na noun ; plural Zonæ . [ Latin , a girdle. See Zone .] A zone or band; a layer. Zona pellucida . [ New Latin ] (Biol.) (a) The outer transparent layer, or envelope, of the ovum. It is a more or less elastic membrane with radiating striæ, and corresponds to the cell wall of an ordinary cell. See Ovum , and Illust. of Microscope . (b) The zona radiata. -- Zona radiata [ New Latin ] (Biol.) , a radiately striated membrane situated next the yolk of an ovum, or separated from it by a very delicate membrane only.

Zonal Zon"al adjective [ Latin zonalis .] Of or pertaining to a zone; having the form of a zone or zones. Zonal equation (Crystallog.) , the mathematical relation which belongs to all the planes of a zone, and expresses their common position with reference to the axes. -- Zonal structure (Crystallog.) , a structure characterized by the arrangements of color, inclusions, etc., of a crystal in parallel or concentric layers, which usually follow the outline of the crystal, and mark the changes that have taken place during its growth. -- Zonal symmetry . (Biol.) See the Note under Symmetry .

Zonar Zo"nar noun [ Mod. Greek ... a girdle, from Greek ..., dim. of ... a girdle. See Zone .] A belt or girdle which the Christians and Jews of the Levant were obliged to wear to distinguish them from Mohammedans. [ Written also zonnar .]

Zonaria Zo·na"ri·a noun plural [ New Latin ] (Zoology) A division of Mammalia in which the placenta is zonelike.

Zonate Zon"ate adjective (Botany) Divided by parallel planes; as, zonate tetraspores, found in certain red algæ.

Zone Zone (zōn) noun [ French zone , Latin zona , Greek zw`nh ; akin to zwnny`nai to gird, Lithuanian jůsta a girdle, jůsti to gird, Zend yāh .] 1. A girdle; a cincture. [ Poetic]

An embroidered zone surrounds her waist.

Dryden.

Loose were her tresses seen, her zone unbound.

Collins. 2. (Geology) One of the five great divisions of the earth, with respect to latitude and temperature. » The zones are five: the torrid zone, extending from tropic to tropic 46° 56&min;, or 23° 28&min; on each side of the equator; two temperate or variable zones, situated between the tropics and the polar circles; and two frigid zones, situated between the polar circles and the poles.

Commerce . . . defies every wind, outrides every tempest, and invades.

Bancroft. 3. (Math.) The portion of the surface of a sphere included between two parallel planes; the portion of a surface of revolution included between two planes perpendicular to the axis. Davies & Peck (Math. Dict.) 4. (Nat. Hist.) (a) A band or stripe extending around a body. (b) A band or area of growth encircling anything; as, a zone of evergreens on a mountain; the zone of animal or vegetable life in the ocean around an island or a continent; the Alpine zone , that part of mountains which is above the limit of tree growth. 5. (Crystallog.) A series of planes having mutually parallel intersections. 6. Circuit; circumference. [ R.] Milton. Abyssal zone . (Physics Geology) See under Abyssal . -- Zone axis (Crystallog.) , a straight line passing through the center of a crystal, to which all the planes of a given zone are parallel.

Zone Zone transitive verb To girdle; to encircle. [ R.] Keats.

Zone Zone noun 1. (Biogeography) An area or part of a region characterized by uniform or similar animal and plant life; a life zone; as, Littoral zone , Austral zone , etc. The zones , or life zones , commonly recognized for North America are Arctic, Hudsonian, Canadian, Transition, Upper Austral, Lower Austral, and Tropical. 2. (Cryst.) A series of faces whose intersection lines with each other are parallel. 3. (Railroad Econ.) (a) The aggregate of stations, in whatsoever direction or on whatsoever line of railroad, situated between certain maximum and minimum limits from a point at which a shipment of traffic originates. (b) Any circular or ring-shaped area within which the street-car companies make no differences of fare. 4. In the United States parcel-post system, any of the areas about any point of shipment for which but one rate of postage is charged for a parcel post shipment from that point. The rate increases from within outwards. The first zone includes the unit of area "(a quadrangle 30 minutes square)" in which the place of shipment is situated and the 8 contiguous units; the outer limits of the second to the seventh zones, respectively, are approximately 150, 300, 600, 1000, 1400, and 1800 miles from the point of shipment; the eighth zone includes all units of area outside the seventh zone.

Zoned Zoned adjective 1. Wearing a zone, or girdle. Pope. 2. Having zones, or concentric bands; striped. 3. (Botany) Zonate.

Zoneless Zone"less adjective Not having a zone; ungirded.

The reeling goddess with the zoneless waist.

Cowper.

In careless folds, loose fell her zoneless vest.

Mason.

Zonnar Zon"nar noun See Zonar .

Zonular Zon"u·lar adjective Of or pertaining to a zone; zone-shaped. "The zonular type of a placenta." Dana.

Zonule Zon"ule noun A little zone, or girdle.

Zonulet Zon"u·let noun A zonule. Herrick.

Zonure Zon"ure noun [ Zone + Greek ... tail.] (Zoology) Any one of several of South African lizards of the genus Zonura , common in rocky situations.

Zooid Zo"oid adjective [ Zo ö- + - oid .] (Biol.) Pertaining to, or resembling, an animal.

Zooid Zo"oid noun 1. (Biol.) An organic body or cell having locomotion, as a spermatic cell or spermatozooid. 2. (Zoology) (a) An animal in one of its inferior stages of development, as one of the intermediate forms in alternate generation. (b) One of the individual animals in a composite group, as of Anthozoa, Hydroidea, and Bryozoa; -- sometimes restricted to those individuals in which the mouth and digestive organs are not developed.

Zooidal Zo·oid"al adjective Of or pertaining to a zooid; as, a zooidal form.

Zoozoo Zoo"zoo` noun [ Of imitative origin.] (Zoology) The wood pigeon. [ Prov. Eng.]

Zope Zope noun [ G.] (Zoology) A European fresh-water bream ( Abramis ballerus ).

Zopilote Zo"pi·lote noun [ Spanish ] (Zoology) The urubu, or American black vulture.

Zoril Zor"il noun (Zoology) Same as Zorilla .

Zorilla Zo·ril"la noun [ Spanish zorilla , zorillo , dim. of zorra , zorro , a fox: confer French zorille .] (Zoology) Either one of two species of small African carnivores of the genus Ictonyx allied to the weasels and skunks. [ Written also zoril , and zorille .] » The best-known species ( Ictonyx zorilla ) has black shiny fur with white bands and spots. It has anal glands which produce a very offensive secretion, similar to that of the skunk. It feeds upon birds and their eggs and upon small mammals, and is often very destructive to poultry. It is sometimes tamed by the natives, and kept to destroy rats and mice. Called also mariput , Cape polecat , and African polecat . The name is sometimes erroneously applied to the American skunk.

Zoroastrian Zo`ro·as"tri·an adjective Of or pertaining to Zoroaster , or his religious system.

Zoroastrian Zo`ro·as"tri·an noun A follower of Zoroaster; one who accepts Zoroastrianism.

Zoroastrianism Zo`ro·as"tri·an·ism noun The religious system of Zoroaster, the legislator and prophet of the ancient Persians, which was the national faith of Persia; mazdeism. The system presupposes a good spirit (Ormuzd) and an opposing evil spirit (Ahriman). Confer Fire worship , under Fire , and Parsee .

Zoroastrism Zo`ro·as"trism noun Same as Zoroastrianism . Tylor.

Zoster Zos"ter noun [ Latin , from Greek ... girdle, zoster. See Zone .] (Medicine) Shingles.

Zostera Zos"te·ra noun [ New Latin ] (Botany) A genus of plants of the Naiadaceæ , or Pondweed family. Zostera marina is commonly known as sea wrack , and eelgrass .

Zosterops Zos"ter·ops noun [ New Latin , from Greek ... girdle + ..., ..., the eye.] (Zoology) A genus of birds that comprises the white-eyes. See White-eye .

Zouave Zouave noun [ French, from Arabic Zouaoua a tribe of Kabyles living among the Jurjura mountains in Algeria.] (Mil.) (a) One of an active and hardy body of soldiers in the French service, originally Arabs, but now composed of Frenchmen who wear the Arab dress. (b) Hence, one of a body of soldiers who adopt the dress and drill of the Zouaves, as was done by a number of volunteer regiments in the army of the United States in the Civil War, 1861-65.

Zounds Zounds interj. [ Contracted from God's wounds .] An exclamation formerly used as an oath, and an expression of anger or wonder.

Zoutch Zoutch transitive verb (Cookery) To stew, as flounders, eels, etc., with just enough or liquid to cover them. Smart.

Zoö- Zo"ö- A combining form from Greek zwo^,n an animal , as in zoö genic, zoö logy, etc.

Zoöchemical Zo`ö·chem"ic·al adjective Pertaining to zoöchemistry.

Zoöchemistry Zo`ö·chem"is·try noun [ Zoö- + chemistry .] Animal chemistry; particularly, the description of the chemical compounds entering into the composition of the animal body, in distinction from biochemistry .

Zoöchemy Zo·öch"e·my noun [ Zoö- + Greek ... alchemy.] Animal chemistry; zoöchemistry. Dunglison.

Zoöchlorella Zo`ö·chlo·rel"la noun [ New Latin , dim. from Greek zw^,on an animal + ... green.] (Zoology) One of the small green granulelike bodies found in the interior of certain stentors, hydras, and other invertebrates.

Zoöcyst Zo"ö·cyst noun [ Zoö- + cyst .] (Biol.) A cyst formed by certain Protozoa and unicellular plants which the contents divide into a large number of granules, each of which becomes a germ.

Zoöcytium Zo`ö·cy"ti·um noun ; plural Zoöcytia . [ New Latin , from Greek zw^,on an animal + ... a hollow vessel.] (Zoology) The common support, often branched, of certain species of social Infusoria.

Zoödendrium Zo`ö·den"dri·um noun ; plural Zoödendria . [ New Latin , from Greek zw^,on an animal + ... a tree.] (Zoology) The branched, and often treelike, support of the colonies of certain Infusoria.