zeugma

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word zeugma. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word zeugma, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say zeugma in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word zeugma you have here. The definition of the word zeugma will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofzeugma, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
See also: Zeugma, zeugmą, and Zeugmą

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ζεῦγμα (zeûgma, yoking; a bond, a band), from ζεύγνυμι (zeúgnumi, to yoke; to join), from ζεῦγος (zeûgos, a yoke).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈzjuːɡ.mə/, /ˈzuːɡ.mə/
  • (file)

Noun

Examples (1)
  • “We ate coffee and cake”
    for “We drank coffee and ate cake”

zeugma (plural zeugmata or zeugmas)

  1. (rhetoric) The act of using a word, particularly an adjective or verb, to apply to more than one noun when its sense is appropriate to only one.
  2. (rhetoric) Syllepsis.
    • July 1963, Fred Sommers, “Types and Ontology”, in The Philosophical Review, volume LXXII, Bobbs-Merrill Reprint Series in Philosophy, page 343:
      The existence of zeugmas suggests the rule of transitivity. Zeugmas appear incorrect because they embody an allegedly univocal use of a term in a way which violated the rule of transitivity.
    • 2008, Amanda Holton, The Sources of Chaucer's Poetics, page 104:
      Thus I would describe 'He took his leave and the wrong umbrella' as zeugma, but not 'He took his hat and umbrella'. Zeugma is an important element in Chaucer's poetic technique, not because he uses it, but because he so regularly turns it down.

Usage notes

Some writers distinguish between zeugma and syllepsis, while others do not.

Hypernyms

Coordinate terms

Related terms

Translations

See also

References

Aragonese

This section or entry lacks references or sources. Please help verify this information by adding appropriate citations. You can also discuss it at the Tea Room.

Noun

zeugma m (uncountable)

  1. zeugma

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ζεῦγμα (zeûgma, bond; yoking).

Pronunciation

Noun

zeugma m (plural zeugmes)

  1. zeugma

Czech

Noun

zeugma n

  1. zeugma

Declension

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Further reading

  • zeugma in Příruční slovník jazyka českého, 1935–1957
  • zeugma in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého, 1960–1971, 1989
  • zeugma in Akademický slovník cizích slov, 1995, at prirucka.ujc.cas.cz

Dutch

Etymology

Ultimately from Ancient Greek ζεῦγμα (zeûgma). This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈzœy̯ɣ.maː/
  • (file)
  • Hyphenation: zeug‧ma

Noun

zeugma n (plural zeugmata or zeugma's, diminutive zeugmaatje n)

  1. zeugma

French

Pronunciation

Noun

zeugma m (plural zeugmas)

  1. zeugma

Further reading

Italian

Etymology

From Late Latin zeugma, from Ancient Greek ζεῦγμα (zeûgma, bond; yoking).

Pronunciation

Noun

zeugma m (plural zeugmi)

  1. (rhetoric) zeugma

Latin

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ζεῦγμα (zeûgma, bond; yoking).

Pronunciation

Noun

zeugma n (genitive zeugmatis); third declension

  1. (Late Latin) zeugma

Declension

Third-declension noun (neuter, imparisyllabic non-i-stem).

Case Singular Plural
Nominative zeugma zeugmata
Genitive zeugmatis zeugmatum
Dative zeugmatī zeugmatibus
Accusative zeugma zeugmata
Ablative zeugmate zeugmatibus
Vocative zeugma zeugmata

References

  • zeugma”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • zeugma in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette
  • zeugma”, in The Perseus Project (1999) Perseus Encyclopedia
  • zeugma”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • zeugma”, in William Smith, editor (1854, 1857) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, volume 1 & 2, London: Walton and Maberly
  • zeugma”, in Richard Stillwell et al., editor (1976) The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press

Polish

Polish Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia pl

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin zeugma, from Ancient Greek ζεῦγμα (zeûgma).

Pronunciation

Noun

zeugma f

  1. (rhetoric) zeugma (using a word to apply to more than one noun)

Declension

Portuguese

Portuguese Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia pt

Etymology

From Latin zeugma, from Ancient Greek ζεῦγμα (zeûgma, bond, yoking).

Pronunciation

 
  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /ˈzew.ɡi.mɐ/ , /ˈzewɡ.mɐ/
    • (Southern Brazil) IPA(key): /ˈzewɡ.ma/ , /ˈzew.ɡi.ma/

  • Hyphenation: zeug‧ma

Noun

zeugma m (plural zeugmas)

  1. (rhetoric) zeugma

Derived terms

Serbo-Croatian

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /zeǔɡma/
  • Hyphenation: ze‧ug‧ma

Noun

zeùgma f (Cyrillic spelling зеу̀гма)

  1. zeugma

Spanish

Spanish Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia es

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Latin zeugma, from Ancient Greek ζεῦγμα (zeûgma, bond, yoking).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): (Spain) /ˈθeuɡma/
  • IPA(key): (Latin America) /ˈseuɡma/
  • Rhymes: -euɡma
  • Syllabification: zeug‧ma

Noun

zeugma m (plural zeugmas)

  1. (rhetoric) zeugma

Derived terms

Further reading