zyzzyva

See also: Zyzzyva

English

Etymology

From the name of the genus, translingual Zyzzyva.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈzɪzɪvə/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Noun

zyzzyva (plural zyzzyvas)

1. A tropical American weevil of the genus Zyzzyva.
   • 1976, Edward Stevens, The Religion Game, American Style‎^[1], New York: Paulist Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OL, page 87:

     A zyzzyva is a weevil of the genus Zyzzyva.

   • 2003 May 30, Kalpana Swaminathan, Ambrosia for Afters‎^[2], New Delhi, New York: Penguin Books, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 43:

     Against the Yak, the zyzzyva zips
     He yammers, has yaws, he yawns and he yips

   • 2007 August 30, Otto Mann, King Size, Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 118:

     Everything on earth has an end, for your mortally thin dictionary, the tropical, American weevil, the Zyzzyva.

   • 2010 September 7, Mary Daheim, Loco Motive: A Bed-and-Breakfast Mystery, 1st edition, HarperCollins, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OL, page 240:

     No wonder you wanted to look it up. A zyzzyva is a weevil.

Usage notes

• As a common noun: primarily used in discussions of the last word listed in English dictionaries.