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zookeeper

American  
[zoo-kee-per] / ˈzuˌki pər /

noun

  1. a person who feeds and tends animals in a zoo.


Other Word Forms

  • zookeeping noun

Etymology

Origin of zookeeper

First recorded in 1920–25; zoo + keeper

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“She’s become a bit of a national treasure,” one zookeeper said.

From Salon • Jul. 13, 2025

The souls lost on board include Pi’s zookeeper father’s fantastical collection of animals.

From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2025

It was during this era that Maurice Rodrigues, then a part-time zookeeper at the Bronx Zoo, first encountered Goode.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 25, 2024

"I started dating a zookeeper, but it turned out he was a cheetah."

From BBC • Aug. 19, 2024

Maniac had at last gone to tell someone, the zookeeper, and from then on he pretty much stayed out of the way.

From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli