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Synonyms

zoologist

American  
[zoh-ol-uh-jist] / zoʊˈɒl ə dʒɪst /

noun

zoologists plural
  1. a specialist in zoology.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of zoologist

First recorded in 1655–65; zoolog(y) + -ist

Explanation

A zoologist is a scientist who studies animals. Zoologists are experts on everything about animals, from their cells to the history of their evolution. If you love and are fascinated by animals, you might decide to become a zoologist. Your major in college will probably be zoology, which is a branch of biology focusing on all animals — even those that are extinct. A zoologist may end up doing research, or work as a zookeeper in a zoo. Zoologist shares a root with zoology, the Latin zoologia, which combines the Greek words zoion, "animal," and logia, "study."

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Vocabulary lists containing zoologist

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.

Contrary to what some may think, birds cannot always easily flee the dangers of war, zoologist Ewa Wegrzyn, from the Polish University of Rzeszow, said.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

The zoologist George Schaller traveled the globe to get up close and personal with tigers, gorillas and other animals.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

Desmond Morris, the zoologist, author, artist and television presenter, has died aged 98.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

To this end, the zoologist made video recordings of how the approximately 700 cichlids caught in the lake behaved in a new environment in form of large experimental ponds.

From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2024

One of the first to envision such use of microorganisms was the 19th-century zoologist Elie Metchnikoff.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

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