def>Z, the twenty-sixth and last letter of the English alphabet, is a vocal consonant. It is taken from the Latin letter Z, which came from the Greek alphabet, this having it from a Semitic source. The ultimate origin is probably Egyptian. Etymologically, it is most closely related to s, y, and j; as in glass, glaze; E. yoke, Gr. &unr_;, L. yugum; E. zealous, jealous. See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 273, 274. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. (Min.) An old solfeggio name for B flat; the seventh harmonic, as heard in the or aeolian string; -- so called by Tartini. It was long considered a false, but is the true note of the chord of the flat seventh. H. W. Poole. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. & n. See Sabian. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. (Arch.) See Zocco. [ 1913 Webster ]
‖n. (Bot.) An oil pressed by the Arabs from the fruit of a small thorny tree (Balanites Aegyptiaca), and sold to piligrims for a healing ointment. J. Smith (Dict. Econ. Plants). [ 1913 Webster ]
‖n. (Zool.) A European bream (Abramis vimba).
‖n. (Zool.) Same as Zärthe. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ F. zafre, safre; cf. Sp. zafra, safra, It. saffera, G. zaffer; all probably of Arabic origin. Cf. Zaphara. ] A pigment obtained, usually by roasting cobalt glance with sand or quartz, as a dark earthy powder. It consists of crude cobalt oxide, or of an impure cobalt arseniate. It is used in porcelain painting, and in enameling pottery, to produce a blue color, and is often confounded with smalt, from which, however, it is distinct, as it contains no potash. The name is often loosely applied to mixtures of zaffer proper with silica, or oxides of iron, manganese, etc.
‖n. [ Turk. & Ar. za'īm. ] A Turkish chief who supports a mounted militia bearing the same name. Smart. [ 1913 Webster ]