zoo

1 of 2

noun

plural zoos
1
: a facility with usually indoor and outdoor settings where living, typically wild animals are kept especially for public exhibition

called also zoological garden, zoological park

2
: a place, situation, or group marked by crowding, confusion, or unrestrained behavior
The convention was a zoo.

zoo-

2 of 2

combining form

variants or before a vowel zo-
1
: animal : animal kingdom or kind
zooid
zoology
2
: motile
zoospore

Examples of zoo in a Sentence

Noun The sixth grade classroom was a zoo after recess. The supermarket was a real zoo on the night before the storm.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass will have a spring party that features a petting zoo, the butterfly experience, stilt-walking balloon artists, and face painters. The Courier-Journal, 15 Mar. 2024 After he and his brothers’ 4-year stay at the Phoenix Zoo, they were transferred back to Florida due to breeding recommendations provided by the Species Survival Plan, according to the zoo. The Arizona Republic, 13 Mar. 2024 Officials said the pandas sent to the zoo could include a female descendent of Bai Yun and Gao Gao, two of the zoo’s former residents. Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024 After a biologist captured the sisters, a veterinarian discovered one of them had been shot, according to the zoo. Makiya Seminera, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2024 Four zoos in the U.S. have hosted pandas since 1972. Jennifer Borresen, USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2024 The zoo is preparing the space for a smaller octopus species in the future. Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024 After Kelce was seen landing from the States, the couple returned for a day date, which included a private zoo tour, according to local reports. Melody Chiu, Peoplemag, 23 Feb. 2024 In the last two pictures in the post, the siblings appeared to be enjoying an outing to the zoo. Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 3 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'zoo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

short for zoological garden

Combining form

borrowed from Greek zōo-, zōio-, combining form from zôion "animal," derivative from the base of zṓō, zṓein (Homeric), zô, zên (Attic) "to be alive, live," going back to Indo-European *gwi̯éh3-(u)- "live" (whence also Tocharian B śāyau "[I] live"), full grade of a stem attested elsewhere with zero grade as *gwih3-u-, whence Latin vīvō, vīvere "to live," Old Church Slavic živǫ, žiti, Old Prussian giwa "(s/he) lives," Latvian dzīvu "(I) live," Sanskrit jīvati "(s/he) lives," Avestan juuaiti

Note: See also bio-, quick entry 1.

First Known Use

Noun

1835, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of zoo was in 1835

Dictionary Entries Near zoo

Cite this Entry

“Zoo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zoo. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

zoo

noun
plural zoos
: a garden or park where living usually wild animals are kept for showing to the public

More from Merriam-Webster on zoo

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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