zoon

¹ American  

[zoh-on] / ˈzoʊ ɒn /

noun

Biology Rare.

plural

zoa

1. any of the individuals of a compound organism.

2. any individual, or the individuals collectively, produced from a single egg.

3. zooid.

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-zoon ² American  

1. a combining form meaning “animal,” “organism” of the kind specified by the initial element, often corresponding to zoological class names ending in -zoa, with -zoon used to name a single member of such a class.

   protozoon.

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-zoon ¹ British  

combining form

1. indicating an individual animal or an independently moving entity derived from an animal

   spermatozoon

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zoon ² British  

/ ˈzəʊɒn /

noun

1. a less common term for zooid

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Usage

What does -zoon mean? The combining form -zoon is used like a suffix meaning “animal” or "organism." It is occasionally used in scientific terms, particularly to refer to a single member of classes in zoology. In zoology, class has a specific meaning that refers to taxonomy.The form -zoon comes from Greek zôion, meaning “animal.” The word zoo also ultimately comes from this Greek root. Zoo is shortened from zoological garden.What are variants of -zoon?While -zoon doesn't have any variants, it is related to the form -zoa, which is the plural form of -zoon, as in Protozoa.When combined as a prefix, -zoon becomes zoo- or zo-, as in zooplankton or zooid. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles for zoo-, zo-, and -zoa.In some instances, -zoa is made singular by adding an -n to the end of the word, rather than using the combining form -zoon, as in sporozoan.

Other Word Forms

• zoonal adjective

Etymology

Origin of zoon¹

First recorded in 1860–65; from New Latin zōon, from Greek zôion “animal”

Origin of -zoon²

zoon

Example Sentences

Saeed Shahmirzai, a senior construction manager for Zoon Engineering, which will install the new lights, said the work would mean nighttime lane closures this fall.

From New York Times

Illness left Abbado unable to conduct more than sporadically, mostly at Lucerne and with the Orchestra Mozart, which he founded in Bologna in 2004; experimentation decorates his late recordings with that ensemble, including with period-instrument practice, though more affectingly in his concerto collaborations with friends such as the flutist Jacques Zoon and the hornist Alessio Allegrini than in his Mozart, Schubert and Schumann symphonies.

From New York Times

In “Manitou,” orchestral and electronic blurs envelop the voice of Daniel Monkman, who leads the Canadian band Zoon.

From New York Times

Cameras on the arms let the surgeons see what is happening, and they can zoon in and magnify the area being operated on.

From BBC

According to Ms. Zoon, only one other panda in China is documented to have given birth at an older age than Mei Xiang at 23 years old.

From Washington Times