Zostera 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 noun [ New Latin , from Greek ... girdle + ..., ..., the eye.] (Zoology) A genus of birds that comprises the white-eyes. See White-eye .

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

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

Zuñian adjective Of or pert. to the Zuñis, or designating their linguistic stock. -- noun A Zuñi.

Zuñis noun plural ; sing. Zuñi (Ethnol.) A tribe of Pueblo Indians occupying a village in New Mexico, on the Zuñi River.

Zubr (zōbr) noun [ Polish żubr .] (Zoology) The aurochs.

Zuche (zōch) noun A stump of a tree. Cowell.

Zuchetto noun [ Italian zucchetto .] (R. C. Ch.) A skullcap covering the tonsure, worn under the berretta. The pope's is white; a cardinal's red; a bishop's purple; a priest's black.

Zufolo noun [ Italian ] (Mus.) A little flute or flageolet, especially that which is used to teach birds. [ Written also zuffolo .]

Zuisin noun (Zoology) The American widgeon. [ Local, U. S.]

Zulu noun [ Also Zooloo .]
1. Any member of the tribe of Zulus; a Zulu- Kaffir. See Zulus .

2. (Philol.) One of the most important members of the South African, or Bantu, family of languages, spoken partly in Natal and partly in Zululand, but understood, and more or less in use, over a wide territory, at least as far north as the Zambezi; -- called also Zulu-Kaffir .

Zulu-Kaffir noun A member of the Bantu race comprising the Zulus and the Kaffirs.

Zulus (zō"lōz) noun plural ; sing. Zulu (-lō). (Ethnol.) The most important tribe belonging to the Kaffir race. They inhabit a region on the southeast coast of Africa, but formerly occupied a much more extensive country. They are noted for their warlike disposition, courage, and military skill.

Zumbooruk noun [ Turk. & Arabic zambūrak , from Arabic zambūr a hornet.] (Mil.) A small cannon supported by a swiveled rest on the back of a camel, whence it is fired, -- used in the East.

Zumic adjective , Zu`mo*log"ic*al adjective , Zu*mol"o*gy noun ,

Zunyite noun (Min.) A fluosilicate of alumina occurring in tetrahedral crystals at the Zuñi mine in Colorado.

Zwanziger (tsvän"tse*gẽr) noun [ G.] An Austrian silver coin equivalent to 20 kreutzers, or about 10 cents.

Zwieback noun [ G., from zwie- two, twice (see Twice ) + backen to bake.] A kind of biscuit or rusk first baked in a loaf and afterwards cut and toasted.

Zwinglian adjective (Theol.) Of or pertaining to Ulric Zwingli (1481-1531), the reformer of German Switzerland, who maintained that in the Lord's Supper the true body of Christ is present by the contemplation of faith but not in essence or reality, and that the sacrament is a memorial without mystical elements. -- noun A follower of Zwingli.

Zygantrum noun ; plural Zygantra . [ Greek zygo`n a yoke + ... a cave, hole.] (Anat.) See under Zygosphene .

Zygapophysis noun ; plural Zygapophyses . [ Greek zygo`n a yoke + English apophysis .] (Anat.) One of the articular processes of a vertebra, of which there are usually four, two anterior and two posterior. See under Vertebra . -- Zyg`ap*o*phys"i*al adjective

Zygenid noun [ Confer Greek ..., probably the hammer-headed shark.] (Zoology) Any one of numerous species of moths of the family Zygænidæ , most of which are bright colored. The wood nymph and the vine forester are examples. Also used adjectively.

Zygobranchia noun plural [ New Latin , from Greek zygo`n a yoke + ... a gill.] (Zoology) A division of marine gastropods in which the gills are developed on both sides of the body and the renal organs are also paired. The abalone ( Haliotis ) and the keyhole limpet ( Fissurella ) are examples.

Zygobranchiate adjective (Zoology) Of or pertaining to the Zygobranchia.

Zygodactyl, Zygodactyle noun [ See Zygodactylic .] (Zoology) Any zygodactylous bird.

Zygodactyli noun plural [ New Latin ] (Zoology) Same as Scansores .

Zygodactylic, Zygodactylous adjective [ Greek zygo`n a yoke, pair + ... finger, toe: confer French zygodactyle .] (Zoology) Yoke-footed; having the toes disposed in pairs; -- applied to birds which have two toes before and two behind, as the parrot, cuckoo, woodpecker, etc.

Zygodactylæ noun plural [ New Latin ] (Zoology) The zygodactylous birds. In a restricted sense applied to a division of birds which includes the barbets, toucans, honey guides, and other related birds.

Zygoma noun [ New Latin , from Greek ..., from ... to yoke, zygo`n a yoke.] (Anat.) (a) The jugal, malar, or cheek bone. (b) The zygomatic process of the temporal bone. (c) The whole zygomatic arch.

Zygomatic adjective [ Confer French zygomatique .] (Anat.) Of, pertaining to, or in the region of, the zygoma.

Zygomatic arch , the arch of bone beneath the orbit, formed in most mammals by the union of the malar, or jugal, with the zygomatic process of the temporal bone. In the lower vertebrates other bones may help to form it, and there may be two arches on each side of the skull, as in some reptiles. -- Zygomatic process , a process of the temporal or squamosal bone helping to form the zygomatic arch.

Zygomorphic, Zygomorphous adjective [ Greek zygo`n a yoke + ... form.] (Biol.) Symmetrical bilaterally; -- said of organisms, or parts of organisms, capable of division into two symmetrical halves only in a single plane.

Zygophyte noun [ Greek zygo`n a yoke + fyto`n a plant.] (Botany) Any plant of a proposed class or grand division ( Zygophytes , Zygophyta , or Zygosporeæ ), in which reproduction consists in the union of two similar cells. Confer Oöphyte .

Zygosis noun [ New Latin , from Greek ... balancing, from zygo`n yoke.] (Biol.) Same as Conjugation .

Zygosperm noun [ Greek zygo`n a yoke + English sperm .] (Botany) A spore formed by the union of the contents of two similar cells, either of the same or of distinct individual plants. Zygosperms are found in certain orders of algæ and fungi.

Zygosphene noun [ Greek zygo`n a yoke + ... a wedge.] (Anat.) A median process on the front part of the neural arch of the vertebræ of most snakes and some lizards, which fits into a fossa, called the zygantrum , on the back part of the arch in front.

Zygospore noun [ Greek zygo`n a yoke + English spore .] (Botany) (a) Same as Zygosperm . (b) A spore formed by the union of several zoöspores; -- called also zygozoöspore .

Zylonite noun [ Greek ... wood.] Celluloid.

Zymase noun [ From Zyme .] (Physiol. Chem.) A soluble ferment, or enzyme. See Enzyme .

Zyme noun [ Greek ... leaven.]

1. A ferment.

2. (Medicine) The morbific principle of a zymotic disease. Quain.

Zymic adjective (Old Chem.) Pertaining to, or produced by, fermentation; -- formerly, by confusion, used to designate lactic acid.

Zymogen noun [ Zyme + - gen .] (Physiol. Chem.) A mother substance, or antecedent, of an enzyme or chemical ferment; -- applied to such substances as, not being themselves actual ferments, may by internal changes give rise to a ferment.

The pancreas contains but little ready-made ferment, though there is present in it a body, zymogen , which gives birth to the ferment.

Foster.

Zymogene noun [ Zyme + root of Greek ... to be born.] (Biol.) One of a physiological group of globular bacteria which produces fermentations of diverse nature; -- distinguished from pathogene .

Zymogenic adjective (Biol.) (a) Pertaining to, or formed by, a zymogene. (b) Capable of producing a definite zymogen or ferment.

Zymogenic organism (Biol.) , a microörganism, such as the yeast plant of the Bacterium lactis , which sets up certain fermentative processes by which definite chemical products are formed; -- distinguished from a pathogenic organism . Confer Micrococcus .

Zymologic, Zymological adjective [ Confer French zymologique .] Of or pertaining to zymology.

Zymologist noun One who is skilled in zymology, or in the fermentation of liquors.

Zymology noun [ Zyme + - logy : confer French zymologie .] A treatise on the fermentation of liquors, or the doctrine of fermentation. [ Written also zumology .]

Zymolysis noun [ New Latin See Zyme , and Lysis .] (Physiol. Chem.) The action of enzymes; also, the changes produced by such action. -- Zy`mo*lyt"ic adjective

Zymome noun [ Greek ... a fermented mixture.] (Old Chem.) A glutinous substance, insoluble in alcohol, resembling legumin; -- now called vegetable fibrin , vegetable albumin , or gluten casein .