zoo-, zoa-, zo-, -zoic, -zoid, -zoite, -zoal, -zonal, -zooid, -zoon, -zoa, -zoan
(Greek: animal, animals; living beings; life)
An asexual spore that can move about by means of cilia or flagella: Zoospores are produced by water-inhabiting organisms, like algae and fungi, and usually develop one or more hair-like cilia that enable them to swim.
Any steroid of animal origin: Dr. Thompson informed Toby about the use of zoosteroids, a class of organic compounds which are lipids and occur naturally as adrenal hormones.
A sterol of animal origin: Zoosterols are found in the tissues of animals and are important in hormone chemistry.
A creature that sucks the blood or other fluid from animal bodies: The cat flea, for example, is a zoosuccivore, that consumes blood from a cat and then begins to produce non-adhesive white ovoid eggs, about 1 per hour and perhaps up to 8,000 in its lifetime.
zoosuccivorous (adjective) (not comparable)
A reference to organisms that feed on liquid secretions of animals: Ticks are zoosuccivous parasites that live and get blood from mammals and birds.
The feeding of decaying animal matter: Zoosuccivory refers to the consumption or intake of animal substances by parasites or insects.
A zoological classification; the scientific classification of animals: Since Judy was fascinated by animals in general, her parents gave her a book containing a zootaxy, a systematic approach and categorization of animals.
. . . and here are the five chief classes of vertebrates.
The science and principles of animal husbandry: Zootechny is the art of managing domestic or captive animals, including breeding, rearing, and utilization.
The belief that an animal is a god and the worship of that animal: Zootheism is the attribution of a deity or holiness to animals.
People are worshiping a golden bull which is just one example of many similar zootheistic religions from the past and in the present.
A person who believes a god is in the form of an animal: A zoothiest is an individual who worships animal deities.
The study of god-animals: Zootheology is the investigation and research of animal deities and of people's worship of them.
zootic (adjective) (not comparable)
A reference to animals other than humans: The book about zootic creatures had many fascinating reviews about animals that inhabited Joan's country, but not about the people living there.
zootomic, zootomical (adjective) (not comparable)
Pertaining to the research of animal anatomy: Dr. Thompson said that it was very important for the students to spend a lot of time in the lab with dissecting the bodies of animals, comparing the structures and analyzing them in order to prepare their zootomic investigations for the seminar the following week.
A person who is involved with the anatomy of animals: Dr. Smith, a zootomist, was in the lab and dissecting the body of a pig and preparing it for his lecture in zootomy.
The study of the anatomy of animals, especially comparative anatomy: Zootomy is concerned with the dissection of animals other than humans.
This student is trying to learn more about the anatomic structure
of animals; in this case, the bodily composition of a cat.
of animals; in this case, the bodily composition of a cat.
