zygon

Noun

zygon (plural zyga or zygons)

1. (plural "zyga") In the cerebrum, a short crossbar fissure that connects the two pairs of branches of a larger zygal (H-shaped) fissure.
   • “The evidence is threefold: (1) as admitted by Ecker, the zygon always appears independently in the foetus;1896, Andrew J. Parker, “Morphology of the Cerebral Convolutions with special reference to the order of Primates”, in Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 2nd Series edition...
   • I am falling apart, the delicate zygon of my brain is opened.1938, Lawrence Durrell, The Black Book, book 3, London: Faber and Faber, published 1977, page 223
2. (plural "zygons") An affinity or connection in a piece of music between tones, chords, or phrases, such that one part appears to repeat, to imitate, or to derive from the other, especially when perceived as an organising principle in the music; a zygonic relationship.
   • Chopin's Prelude op. 28 no. 6 comprises 403 notes which give rise—in just one sub-domain (pitch class)—to around 13,000 potential primary zygons, 500 million potential secondary zygons, and 10¹⁸ potential tertiary zygons.2005, Adam Ockelford, Repetition in music: theoretical and metatheoretical perspectives, page 121
   • Zygonic relationships, or zygons, are depicted using the letter Z.2006, Neil Lerner, Joseph Straus, Sounding Off: Theorizing Disability in Music, page 142