Word Confusion: Zymic versus Zymite

Posted September 19, 2024 by kddidit in Author Resources, Self-Editing, Word Confusions, Writing

This word confusion zymic versus zymite is a cheat on my part. There was nothing in my Z files, and I really, really wanted one, so I went hunting.

Talk about confusing! Both zymic and zymite are about yeast, but . . .

The difference is that zymic is an adjective all about fermentation, and surprisingly was only popular for about ten years in the early 1800s. It’s basically a chemical breakdown mostly using yeasts that are used to bake bread and make alcohol.

One source says that zymic is old chemistry and had been used to designate lactic acid.

A zymite is a noun that refers to a priest who serves a bread that was made using yeast.

Source: Chrisomalis

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Word Confusions . . .

. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.

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Zymic	Zymite
Alcohol Fermentation Process is Vtvu‘s own work is under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license, via Wikimedia Commons. — In other words, a zymic process.	Antidoron, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, by scottgunn is under the CC BY-NC 2.0 license, via Flickr. — Blessed bread is distributed by a zymite after the Orthodox liturgy.
Part of Grammar:
Adjective	Noun Plural: zymites Pronounced: smite
Adjective: [British; Biochemistry] Of, like, or pertaining to fermentation	Noun: [Ecclesiastical] A priest using leavened bread during communion Pertaining to or of the nature of leaven
Examples:
Adjective: Zymic, as applied by Pasteur to the microbes which act as ferments only when the air is excluded, is distinguished from those which require the presence of air. Zymic acid is a substance which is now known to be impure lactic acid. Pasteur explained that zymic microbes are those which act as a catalyst only when air is omitted, and not to be mixed up with those which necessitate the presence of air. The zymic scientist was studying the effects of temperature on fermentation. The zymic enzyme was essential for the production of ethanol from glucose.	Noun: During communion, the people were given some wine and bread by the zymite in remembrance of the death of Christ. The zymite offered up leavened bread in honor of Jesus Christ. In Eastern churches, a zymite offers up the “living bread” of the Eucharist which is intended to provide food for the soul.
Derivatives:
Adjective: antizymic, more antizymic, most antizymic
History of the Word:
The earliest known use was in the 1810s, as a borrowing from the Greek, combined with an English element. The Oxford English Dictionary’s earliest evidence for zymic is from 1817, in the writing of Thomas Thomson, chemist. A now obsolete word that was last recorded around the 1820s.	Unknown.

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C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!

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