zoo

From Greek zōion (animal, living being), derived from zōē (life). In English it anchors the field of animal science — zoology, zoologist, zoological — and the familiar shortening 'zoo' (from zoological garden). It also appears in geological terminology: Mesozoic (middle-animal era) marks a major dinosaur age. The variant 'zodiac' literally means 'circle of animals,' reflecting ancient Greek star-mapping.