zoo

Definitions

zoo is a clipping of 'zoological garden' — a garden built to study animals (zoo = animal). Victorians shortened the long scientific name to a single syllable, and that one bouncy word now carries the whole Greek root for 'animal.'

Why It Means This

The 'chaotic place' meaning is a modern metaphor: picture a zoo full of caged animals all making noise at once, and you have the image behind 'this meeting was a total zoo.' The literal park and the figurative chaos share the same root image — many creatures crammed together.

Common Collocations

• 1.go to the zoo去动物园
• 2.a local zoo当地动物园
• 3.a petting zoo可触摸动物园
• 4.the zoo is a metaphor for chaos动物园（比喻混乱）

Example Sentences

• 1.

  We took the kids to the zoo to see the new baby pandas.

• 2.

  The local zoo runs a breeding program for endangered species.

• 3.

  With three phones ringing at once, the office was a complete zoo.