-zilla

For other uses, see Zilla.
Look up -zilla in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
The "-zilla" suffix is derived from the name of Godzilla

-zilla is an English slang suffix, a libfix back-formation derived from the English name of the Japanese movie monster Godzilla.[1][2] It is popular for the names of software and websites. It is also found often in popular culture to imply some form of excess, denoting the monster-like qualities of Godzilla.

This trend has been observed since the popularization of the Mozilla Project, which itself included the Internet Relay Chat client ChatZilla.[3]

The use of the suffix was contested by Toho, owners of the trademark Godzilla, in a lawsuit against the website Davezilla[4] and also against Sears for their mark Bagzilla.[5] Toho has since trademarked the word "Zilla" and retroactively used it as an official name for the "Godzilla In Name Only" creature from the 1998 Roland Emmerich film.[6]

  1. ^ Chrysti M. Smith (2006). Verbivore's Feast: Second Course: More Word & Phrase Origins. Farcountry Press. ISBN 9781560374022.
  2. ^ William Tsutsui. "Godzilla and Postwar Japan Lunch Keynote". Address 2004 National Meeting Asian Studies.
  3. ^ "IRC in Mozilla, aka ChatZilla". mozilla.org. Mozilla Organization. May 18, 2000. Archived from the original on August 15, 2000. Retrieved 2010-10-11.
  4. ^ "Godzilla vs. the blog thing". CNET.com.
  5. ^ Philip Summa. "New Test for Trademark Dilution - Why North Carolina Should Adopt Section 12 of the Model State Trademark". Campbell L. Rev. 5.
  6. ^ "ZILLA - Trademark Details". Justia Trademarks. Retrieved May 8, 2013.