zoo

zoo — noun

1. a large space where people go to see different kinds of wild creatures kept in e

1.nounA1
Definition

a large space where people go to see different kinds of wild creatures kept in enclosures

Example

On Saturday, Vikram's class went to the city zoo to see the new baby bear.

go to the zoo: visit as a group activity

The zoo keeper gives the lions their food at four o'clock every day.

zoo keeper: person who looks after the animals

Common collocations
  • go to the zoo
  • visit the zoo
  • at the zoo
  • zoo keeper
  • city zoo
  • baby zoo animal
Synonyms
  • animal park

    usually larger than a zoo, with more space for animals to roam in natural-looking settings

  • wildlife park

    focuses on showing animals in habitats that look like their natural environment

  • safari park

    a large park where visitors drive through and see animals moving freely

2. a place or situation that is very noisy and crowded, with no sense of order or c

2.nounB2
Definition

a place or situation that is very noisy and crowded, with no sense of order or control

Example

The train station was a zoo on Friday evening, with people pushing everywhere.

a complete zoo: emphasises total chaos

The shop was a zoo during the big sale, with people grabbing things off the shelves.

Common collocations
  • a complete zoo
  • an absolute zoo
  • a total zoo
  • be a zoo
Synonyms
  • madhouse

    stronger, with a sense of crazy or wild behaviour

  • circus

    similar meaning, suggests noisy entertainment or confusion

  • chaos

    more general; describes a state of disorder rather than a specific place

Usage Note

This sense always needs the indefinite article 'a' before it: 'a zoo'. It is most common in informal spoken English and in casual writing. You cannot say 'this place is zoo' — the article is required.

Common Mistakes

The office was zoo this morning.
The office was a zoo this morning.
The indefinite article 'a' is needed in this figurative sense.

zoo — combining form

Word family

  • zoological
    adjectiveB2
  • zoologist
    nounB2
  • zoology
    nounB2
  • zooplankton
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms refer to places where animals are kept for people to see, but they differ in scale and style. 'Zoo' is by far the most common word and works in any context — from a small city zoo to a large national collection. 'Animal park' suggests a bigger, more open space where animals live in surroundings that look natural, rather than in cages. 'Safari park' is a specific kind of animal park where visitors drive through the enclosures in their own cars and see animals such as lions and giraffes moving freely. 'Menagerie' is an older word for a collection of wild animals kept for display, often in small cages; it is rarely used today except in historical descriptions. For everyday conversation, 'zoo' is the right choice. If you want to emphasise natural habitats, use 'animal park'. For a driving-through experience, use 'safari park'.

zoo ↗animal parksafari parkmenagerie

Common collocations

Nouns

  • zoo keeper
  • zoo animal
  • zoo visit
  • city zoo
  • children's zoo

Phrases

  • go to the zoo
  • take the kids to the zoo
  • a zoo of a place

Prepositions

  • at the zoo
  • in the zoo
  • to the zoo

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'zoo' is a short form of 'zoological garden', first used in the 1840s. 'Zoological' comes from 'zoology', which was formed from the Greek words 'zōion' (animal) and 'logia' (study). The original 'zoological gardens' were scientific collections of animals, but the name was quickly shortened to 'zoo' in everyday speech.