zoophytehttp://www.oed.com/dictionary/zoophyte_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_usezoophyte, n.
Revised 2017

zoophytenoun

Biology. Now historical.
  1. 1.
    1606–
    Originally: an animal thought to resemble or have certain characteristics of a plant or flower. In later use: spec. any animal belonging to the (former) group Zoophyta, comprising certain sessile invertebrate animals, typically with a branching or radiating structure, such as crinoids, hydrozoans, sponges, and bryozoans. Cf. zoophyton n. 1. Also figurative.
    Also called animal flower, animal plant, phytozoon, plant-animal.
    compound zoophyte, coral-zoophyte: see the first element.
    1. 1606
      The Zoophytes [French les Zoophytes], or Plantbeasts, which haue feeling and motion, but yet take life by the roots whereby they grow.
      R. Knolles, translation of J. Bodin, Six Bookes of Common-weale 793
    2. 1621
      Many strange creatures, mineralls, vegetalls, Zoophites.
      R. Burton, Anatomy of Melancholy ii.ii.iii. 319
    3. 1644
      Vnder the title of plants I include not zoophytes or plantanimals.
      K. Digby, Two Treatises i. xxiii. 208
    4. 1753
      If..some will still consider these marine productions as plants, they are truly zoophytes, formed by the labour of the animals, which inhabit them.
      W. Watson in Philosophical Transactions 1751–2 (Royal Society) vol. 47 457
    5. 1776
      The earth-worm, and all the zoophyte tribe, continue to live in separate parts when cut into pieces.
      S. Ward, Modern System of Natural History vol. XI. 177
    6. 1828
      Polypi or Zoophytes; comprehending all those small, gelatinous, and compound or aggregated animals which have a mouth surrounded by tentacula, and conducting into a simple stomach.
      J. Stark, Elements of Natural History vol. II. 395
    7. 1858
      Is it at all probable that this now active-minded Englishman will be content to remain a kind of political zoophyte? that he will continue listless about the government of his country?
      Daily News 25 December 2/6
    8. 1873
      I wish I was, like some worthy people I know, a mere human zoophyte, consisting of nothing but a mouth and a stomach.
      A. B. Edwards, In Days of my Youth vol. III. i. 5
    9. a1933
      The same retrenchment or reduction of vulnerable surface is observed in some zoöphytes and even more complicated animals.
      J. A. Thomson, Biology for Everyman (1934) vol. II. 876
    10. 1992
      After Ellis there was broad agreement that zoophytes, including corals and sponges, were indeed animal.
      J. Hamilton-Paterson, Seven-tenths iii. i. 83
    11. 2014
      The border zones between animals and plants populated with zoophytes.
      J. Steigerwald in S. Lettow, Reprod., Race, & Gender in Philos. & Early Life Science v. 107
  2. 2.
    1621–
    A plant thought to resemble an animal or to have certain qualities characteristic of animals, esp. a sensitive plant (sensitive plant n. 1b), or vegetable lamb (vegetable lamb n.). Cf. plant-animal n. 1.
    1. 1621
      There is mention of the Boranets, Zoophites [French Zoophytes], or Plant-animals of Moscouy, in the first Booke of the second Weeke.
      T. Lodge, translation of S. Goulart, Learned Summary Poeme of Saluste of Bartas i. 132
    2. 1680
      In this Country grows the Plant Zoophyte, that resembles a Lamb.
      R. Morden, Geography Rectified 122
    3. 1707
      If he had known this [Sensitive] Plant, he wou'd not have fail'd to have call'd it, not only a Zoophyte, that is, a Plant-Animal, but even a very Animal in all its Forms.
      translation of P. Le Lorrain de Vallemont, Curiosities in Husbandry & Gardening iv. 87
    4. 1790
      The Tartarian Lamb, Agnus Scythicus, or Barometz, heretofore imposed on the credulous as a kind of Zoophyte.
      R. Pulteney, Hist. & Biogr. Sketches Progress Bot. in Eng. vol. II. 91
    5. 1818
      This plant is remarkable for possessing a great portion of the animal nature. It is for this reason called the Animal Plant; as also Zoophytes; and in the Russian language, Bonarets.
      Gentleman's Magazine November 458/1
    6. 1927
      Many strange and fabulous tales were told [about cotton], among which was the story of the Vegetable Lamb, or Zoöphyte.
      H. B. Brown, Cotton i. 3
    7. 1990
      One of the most fanciful and elaborate zoophytes that puzzled naturalists was the Scythian lamb..this creature consisted of the body of a lamb rooted to the ground by a stem, and reportedly survived by eating the grass around it.
      Renaissance Quarterly vol. 43 303
    8. 2001
      The Scythian lamb, that woolly zoophyte..inhabited the margins of texts.
      British Journal of History of Science vol. 34 240/1

zoophyte, n. was revised in June 2017.

zoophyte, n. was last modified in March 2025.