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Synonyms

zoologist

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

noun

  1. a specialist in zoology.


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.

Zoologist Philip Seddon from the University of Otago in New Zealand explained: "They are genetically modified grey wolves".

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2025

Zoologist Joel Allen formulated this idea in 1877, and though he wasn't the first or the last to present a rule of biology, his is one of just a handful to gain acceptance among scientists.

From Science Daily • May 16, 2024

The Spawn of El Diablo Zoologist Michelle Jewell may have found a possible mating ground near South Africa that is favored by a mega-shark known as El Diablo.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 13, 2021

Zoologist Henk Bouwman, a member of the research team, explained that the findings were conclusive, but the implications remain unclear.

From Salon • Mar. 13, 2019

Malik the Zoologist left that day at 5:52.

From "Turtles All the Way Down" by John Green