Where does “zoo” come from?
zoo (English) comes from Ancient Greek ζῷον, from Proto-Hellenic ďṓyyon, from Proto-Hellenic gʷyōwyon, from Proto-Indo-European gʷyeh₃w-y-om, from Proto-Indo-European gʷíh₃weti, from Proto-Indo-European gʷih₃wós, from Proto-Indo-European gʷeih₃w- — to live.
zoo (English): A park where live animals are exhibited; Any...
Definitions
- A park where live animals are exhibited; Any...
Ancestry of “zoo”, step by step
zoo traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Ancient Greek ζῷον
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ancient Greek | ζῷον | animal, beast; form, image |
| 2 | Proto-Hellenic | ďṓyyon | animal, creature, beast |
| 3 | Proto-Hellenic | gʷyōwyon | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷyeh₃w-y-om | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷíh₃weti | to live, to be alive |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷih₃wós | alive, living |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷeih₃w- | to live |
via English zoological garden
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | zoological garden | A zoo, a park where live animals are exhibited |