zizania

Borrowed from Latin zīzania (“cockle, tares”)

• Rhymes: -eɪniə

zizania (plural zizanias)

1. Any of several aquatic North American grasses, of the genus Zizania, grown for their edible grain; wild rice.

From the Ancient Greek ζιζάνια (zizánia).

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ziːˈza.ni.a/
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ziˈza.ni.a/, [d͡ziˈd͡zaː.ni.a]

• Audio (Classical)

  (file)

zīzania (cockle, tares)

zīzania n pl (genitive zīzaniōrum); second declension

1. (Ecclesiastical Latin) cockle, tares, darnel (a weed, probably Lolium temulentum)
   • (Can we find and add a quotation of Ambrose to this entry?)
   • Aurelius Augustine, Sermon 47, 5.

     Quamvis et ipsi servi stomachati adversus zizania, consilium tamen et praeceptum a domino expetiverunt.

   • (Can we find and add a quotation of Prudentius to this entry?)
   • 5th century — Vulgate Bible, Matthaeus 13:26

     cum autem crevisset herba et fructum fecisset tunc apparuerunt et zizania.

     But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then also appeared the tares.

   • 1267, anonymous, Scribere proposui:

     Scribere proposui de contemptu mundano
     iam est hora surgere de sonpno mortis uano ·
     zizaniam spernere sumpto ui[r]tutum grano ·
     Surge surge uigila semper esto paratus ·

     I have set forth to write of contempt of the world.
     Now is the hour to arise from the vain sleep of death,
     to scorn the tares, choosing the grain of virtue:
     Arise, arise, be vigilant, always be prepared.

Second declension.

• English: zizania
• Italian: zizzania
• Spanish: cizaña
• Translingual: Zizania

• zīzā̆nĭa in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• ZIZANIA in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• ZIZANIUM in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• 1 zīzānĭa in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette: “1,701/3”
• 2 zīzănĭa in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette: “1,701/3”