Also called zoological garden. a parklike area in which live animals are kept in cages or large enclosures for public exhibition.
Informal. a place, activity, or group marked by chaos or unrestrained behavior.
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.
First recorded in 1840–50; first two syllables of zoological garden taken as one syllable
Combining form representing Greek zôion animal
A zoo is a large park where wild animals are on display. If you're interested in lemurs, orangutans, or even boa constrictors, you might want to plan a trip to the zoo. Most modern zoos serve two functions: to exhibit exotic animals for paying visitors and to protect endangered animal species. Responsible zoos fulfill the second goal by breeding animals, educating the public, and reintroducing animals to the wild. Any wild and crowded place can also be called a zoo: "I went to the mall the day before Christmas. It was a total zoo!" The word zoo, from a Greek root that means "animal," was originally shorthand for the Regent's Park Zoological Gardens in London, which opened in 1828.
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He's talking about his self-titled Albon Zoo of 14 cats, dogs and horses that will be well-known to fans of Netflix's popular F1 doc Drive to Survive.
From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026
The centre at London Zoo in Regent's Park, central London, is being funded by an anonymous donation that is the biggest in conservation charity ZSL's 200-year history.
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
Ahead of their repatriation to Kenya, Prague Zoo said each animal would undergo "acclimatisation and detailed monitoring before being gradually integrated" at the MKWC's breeding programme.
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
The plucky little lion has since been transferred to the Oakland Zoo, where veterinarians are hopeful he will make a full recovery.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
They bore a distinct similarity to the ones Mama had said to her at the Night Zoo.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
