zeugma
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zeugma
- /ˈzjuːɡ.mə/
- /ˈzuːɡ.mə/
Where it comes from
Borrowed from Ancient Greek ζεῦγμα (zeûgma, “yoking; a bond, a band”), from ζεύγνυμι (zeúgnumi, “to yoke; to join”), from ζεῦγος (zeûgos, “a yoke”).
noun zeugmata · zeugmas · zeugmenon
- 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.
- Syllepsis. 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^([sic]) the rule of transitivity.
Translations
Talk about this word "zeugma." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/zeugma. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. zeugma. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/zeugma "zeugma." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/zeugma.Cite this
@misc{zeugma_2026,
title = {zeugma},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/zeugma},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
