zoo

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/zu/
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A place where animals are kept, sometimes used to picture human disorder.
Practice using zoo in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • A keeper fed the lions at the zoo.
  • The kitchen was a zoo before the party.
  • With fifty guests arriving at once, the house became a zoo.
  • We went to the zoo on Saturday.
  • The zoo has three elephants.

Similar words

circus
chaos
zoological garden
madhouse

Meanings

Animal park

noun
animals
neutral
A place where animals, especially wild animals, are kept for people to see or study.

Examples

  • We went to the zoo on Saturday.
  • The zoo has three elephants.
  • Have you ever visited this zoo?
  • A keeper fed the lions at the zoo.
  • Several zoos work to protect endangered animals.

Similar words

zoological garden

Chaotic place

noun
informal
informal
A place that is crowded, noisy, or disorganized.

Examples

  • The kitchen was a zoo before the party.
  • Our classroom turns into a zoo at the end of the day.
  • The station was a complete zoo after the game.
  • "It was a zoo in there," she said of the busy shop.
  • With fifty guests arriving at once, the house became a zoo.

Similar words

madhouse
circus
chaos

Etymology

Short for zoological garden, a place for keeping and studying animals.

FAQ

What is a zoo?

It is a place where people can see and study animals.

What does zoo mean informally?

It can describe a crowded, noisy, chaotic place.

Is zoo countable?

Yes. In English the plural is zoos.

Are all animals at a zoo wild?

Zoos mainly keep wild animals, but some also have domestic animals.

Is calling a classroom a zoo literal?

No. It means the classroom is noisy or out of control.

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