zoo

1 of 2

noun

ˈzü 

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

Synonyms of zoo

Noun

• commotion
• disturbance
• hurry
• stir
• fun
• racket
• turmoil
• fuss
• storm
• to-do
• noise
• hurricane
• pandemonium

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 newborn lived in a dank and dilapidated enclosure alongside seven other lions, including his parents, Kim and Carl, said Rebecca Aldworth, executive director of Humane World for Animals Canada, whose organization helped shut down the zoo and rescue the lions. —Andrea Sachs, Washington Post, 25 Apr. 2026

According to zoo officials, the Chinese government has established 67 panda reserves and launched a national park system aimed at improving habitat connectivity and long-term survival of the species. —Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026

The decision to name both cubs after rangers ties the zoo’s conservation breeding program to the front-line work of keeping Sumatran tigers alive in the wild. —Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026

Staff remembered him for his calm temperament, distinctive mane and loud roar — as well as a goofy streak, the zoo said. —Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2026

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 *g^wi̯éh₃-(u)- "live" (whence also Tocharian B śāyau "[I] live"), full grade of a stem attested elsewhere with zero grade as *g^wih₃-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

Phrases Containing zoo

• petting zoo

Rhymes for zoo

• blew
• blue
• boo
• brew
• chew
• chou
• clue
• coo
• coup
• crew
• cue
• dew

Kids Definition

zoo

noun

ˈzü 

plural zoos

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