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The combining form zo– is used like a prefix meaning “living being” or “animal.” It is very occasionally used in scientific terms, especially in biology.

The form zo– comes from Greek ��ô���Dz�, meaning “animal.” The word zoo also ultimately comes from this Greek root. Zoo is shortened from zoological garden.

What are variants of zo-?

The form zo– is a variant of zoo–, which loses its –o– when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels.

When combined as a suffix, zo– becomes –zoa or –zoon, as in protozoa or ectozoon. Want to know more? Read our 51�Թ�s That Use articles for zoo-, –zoa, and –zoon.

One example of a scientific term that uses the form zo– is zooid, “any organic body or cell capable of spontaneous movement and of an existence more or less apart from or independent of the parent organism.”

The zo– part of the word means “animal,” as we have seen. The –oid portion of the word means “resembling” and “like.” Zooid literally translates to “animal-like.”

What are some words that use the combining form zo-?

• zoacanthosis
• zoanthropy
• zoarium
• zoic

What are some other forms that zo– may be commonly confused with?

• oo-
• zygo-

Not every word that begins with the exact letters zoo– or zo-, such as zoom or zooty, is necessarily using either combining form to denote “animal.” Learn why zooty means “flamboyant” at our entry for the word.

The suffix –ic is used to mean “having some characteristics of.” With this in mind, what does zoic mean?