zoo

¹

[zoo]

noun

plural

zoos 

1. Also called zoological garden. a parklike area in which live animals are kept in cages or large enclosures for public exhibition.

2. Informal.,  a place, activity, or group marked by chaos or unrestrained behavior.

zoo-

²

1. a combining form meaning “living being,” “animal,” used in the formation of compound words.

   zoometry; zooplankton.

zoo-

¹

combining form

1. indicating animals

   zooplankton

zoo

²

/ zuː /

noun

1. Formal term: zoological garden. a place where live animals are kept, studied, bred, and exhibited to the public

Word History and Origins

Origin of zoo¹

First recorded in 1840–50; first two syllables of zoological garden taken as one syllable

Origin of zoo²

Combining form representing Greek zôion animal

Word History and Origins

Origin of zoo¹

from Greek zōion animal

Origin of zoo²

C19: shortened from zoological gardens (originally applied to those in London)

Idioms and Phrases

see it's a zoo.

Example Sentences

Although it’s unclear exactly when she was born, specialists estimate that she was roughly 141 old, making her the oldest resident of the zoo.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“Are you suggesting that you would put the children on display? Like animals in a zoo?”

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“I believe they were going to the zoo.”

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“That attrition is a marker for how difficult and time-consuming the program is,” said Mara Rodriguez, the zoo’s development coordinator.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The Los Angeles Zoo has announced the birth of a baby boy Bornean orangutan, the first such primate baby at the zoo in almost 15 years.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• circus 

When To Use

What does zoo- mean?

The combining form zoo- is used like a prefix meaning “living being” or "animal." It is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology.The form zoo- comes from Greek zôion, meaning “animal.”What are variants of zoo-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, zoo- becomes zo-, as in zooid.When combined as a suffix, zoo- becomes -zoa or -zoon, as in protozoa or ectozoon. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles for zo-, -zoa, and -zoon.