the twenty-sixth and last letter in our alphabet, is derived through the Greek zeta, from zayin, the seventh Semitic letter—its sound a voiced sibilant, either a voiced s as in 'zeal,' or a voiced sh as in 'azure.'—The cedilla (ç) is a 'little zed,' as is implied by the Italian name zediglia, from zeticula.
Zabian, zā′bi-an, adj. and n. the same as Sabian.—ns. Zā′baism, Zā′bism, the doctrines esp. of the Pseudo-Zabians, or Syrian Zabians (in Haurân, Edessa, Bagdad), remnants of the ancient Syrian but Hellenised heathens, from about the 9th to the 12th century. Under the name Zabians used to be grouped several peoples distinct in origin and by no means alike in religion. The medieval Arabic and Jewish writers called nearly all those heathens or Sabæans who were neither Jews or Christians, nor Mohammedans or Magians. Now the name Sabæans denotes strictly the ancient inhabitants of southern Arabia, who were but little modified by Babylonian influences; the Zabians of the Koran were originally non-Christian Gnostics—the ancestors of the still existing Mandæans (q.v.) or Joannes' Christians.
Zabra, zä′bra, n. a small vessel on the Spanish coast. [Sp.]
Zabrus, zā′brus, n. a large genus of caraboid beetles. [Gr. zabros, gluttonous.]
Zadkiel, zad′ki-el, n. the name assumed by Richard James Morrison (1794-1874), the compiler of a popular astrological almanac, a retired commander in the royal navy, a Hebraist, mathematician, astronomer, and a real believer in his pseudo-science.
Zaffre, Zaffer, zaf′ėr, n. the impure oxide obtained by partially roasting cobalt ore previously mixed with two or three times its weight of fine sand. [Fr. zafre, of Ar. origin.]
Zalophus, zal′ō-fus, n. a genus of otaries or eared seals. [Gr. za-, intens., lophos, a crest.]
Zambomba, tham-bom′ba, n. a simple Spanish musical instrument made by stretching a piece of parchment over a wide-mouthed jar and inserting a stick in it which is rubbed with the fingers.
Zamia, zā′mi-a, n. a genus of palm-like trees or low shrubs of the order Cycadaceæ—some species yield an edible starchy pith. [L. zamia, a dead fir-cone—Gr. zēmia, damage.]
Zamindar=Zemindar (q.v.).