zoophilehttp://www.oed.com/dictionary/zoophile_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_usezoophile, n.
Revised 2017

zoophilenoun

  1. 1.
    1885–
    A person who is very fond of, or compassionate towards, animals; an opponent of cruelty to animals, esp. an antivivisectionist (cf. zoophilist n., zoophilite n.). Also: a person who is sexually attracted to animals (cf. zoophilia n. 2).
    1. 1885
      Sympathetic zoophiles conceive a decapitated frog..as writhing in agony.
      Our Corner August 91
    2. 1897
      For our present purpose let such persons be classified as Zoophiles—antivivisectionists.
      Transactions Amer. Microsc. Soc. 1896 vol. 18 143
    3. 1939
      The Anti-Cruelty Society..maintains an establishment that would delight the most ardent zoophile.
      A. C. McClurg, Illinois 249
    4. 1994
      Marian was not a committed zoophile, though—at least she didn't think of herself as one.
      N. Baker, Fermata xiv. 200
    5. 2001
      Zoophiles gabbed while their beasts were..snapping at cyclists.
      I. Sinclair, Landor's Tower (2002) i. iii. 32
  2. 2.
    1895–
    Ecology. A zoophilous plant, seed, etc. See zoophilous adj. 1.
    1. 1895
      The seeds which are aided by this mode of dissemination are called zoöphiles.
      Popular Science Monthly February 501
    2. 1986
      Flowers of numerous taxa exhibit features which are ‘intermediate’ between ‘typical’ zoophiles and ‘typical’ anemophiles.
      C. Puff, Biosystematic Study Afr. & Madagascan Rubiaceae-Anthospermeae c xii. 133
    3. 2008
      Comparative analysis of genome sequence from geophiles, zoophiles, and anthropophiles will identify loci required for mating competence.
      Eukaryotic Cell vol. 7 1238/2

zoophile, n. was revised in June 2017.

zoophile, n. was last modified in December 2024.