zo·ol·o·gy  (zō-ŏl ə-jē, z -)
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n. pl. zo·ol·o·gies 1. The branch of biology that deals with animals and animal life, including the study of the structure, physiology, development, and classification of animals. 2. The animal life of a particular area or period: the zoology of Alaska; the zoology of the Pleistocene. 3. The characteristics of a particular animal group or category: the zoology of mammals. 4. A book or scholarly work on zoology.
zo·olo·gist n.
Usage Note: Traditionally, the first syllable of zoology has been pronounced as (zō), rhyming with toe. However, most likely due to the familiarity of the word zoo (which is merely a shortened form of zoological garden), the pronunciation of the first syllable as (z) is also commonly heard. In our 2017 survey, 89 percent of the Usage Panel found the (zō-) pronunciation acceptable and 72 percent found the (z-) pronunciation acceptable. Also, 55 percent reported using the (zō-) pronunciation and 45 percent using the (z-) pronunciation in their own speech. While both pronunciations are acceptable, the (zō-) pronunciation may be perceived as more scientific. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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