DictionaryAI

zoo

noun
ZOO/zuː/

Pluralzoos

6 meanings of zoo

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable
    A park where live animals are kept for people to come and see.

    We saw two baby elephants at the zoo on Saturday.

    Our town has one of the oldest zoos in the country.

    Similarmenagerie

    Note
  2. 2
    nouncolloquialfigurativelycountable
    A place that is wild, crowded, or full of confusion.

    The kitchen was a zoo while we got ready for the party.

    On the first day of school, the hallways are a zoo.

    Similarmadhouse, circus

  3. 3
    nouncolloquialfigurativelycountable
    A big group of many different kinds of things.

    Her garage is a zoo of old bikes, tools, and toys.

    The new phone comes with a whole zoo of apps you'll never use.

    Similarmenagerie, assortment, hodgepodge, jumble

    Note
  4. 4
    nounslangUScountable
    The jungle, especially when soldiers are patrolling or fighting in it.

    We spent three days in the zoo, wading through mud and vines, before the helicopters came.

    Nobody in the platoon wanted to head back into the zoo, where the trees hid everything.

    Similarjungle, bush

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 5
    nouncolloquial
    Clipping of zoophile.
  2. 6
    nouncolloquial
    Pornographic material depicting actual animals or bestiality.

Practice

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Origin

It is a short form of zoological garden or zoological park.