zoology
Americannoun
-
zoologies
plural
-
the science or branch of biology dealing with animals.
-
a treatise on zoology.
-
the animal life of a particular region.
noun
-
the study of animals, including their classification, structure, physiology, and history
-
the biological characteristics of a particular animal or animal group
-
the fauna characteristic of a particular region
-
a book, treatise, etc, dealing with any aspect of the study of animals
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of zoology
Explanation
If you're fascinated by monkey business or just love horsing around, you might consider a career in zoology — the scientific study of animals. According to some usage experts, most of us mispronounce the word zoology. The first syllable of this noun is correctly pronounced with a long o sound, as in toe, rather than the "oo" in zoo. Yet our error is considered acceptable because if you're going to study animal life and behavior, one of the best places to do it is at the zoo.
Vocabulary lists containing zoology
Power Suffix: -ology
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Animals (Zoology) - Introductory
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Animals (Zoology) - Middle School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
After six years of delays, Bartlett is now finishing the third and final year of his zoology course.
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026
"If a tiger is killed in the Sundarbans, it creates a turmoil in the ecosystem," said Mohammad Abdul Aziz, a zoology expert at Bangladesh's Jahangirnagar University.
From Barron's ● Apr. 28, 2026
Specialists in zoology, ecology, and botany worked together to uncover how different species manage to survive there.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 2, 2026
Her name was Iva Toguri D’Aquino, and she was born in Watts to Japanese parents in 1916 and had a degree in zoology from UCLA.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 21, 2025
He became my favourite teacher at Petit Seminaire and the reason I studied zoology at the University of Toronto.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
Heraldry is so full of these fantastic creatures, that, in some zoologies, we find a separate chapter or a supplement dedicated to what is denominated heraldic zoology.
From Miscellaneous Essays by Thomas De Quincey
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.
