There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zoowoman. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.
The earliest known use of the noun zoowoman is in the 1930s.
OED's earliest evidence for zoowoman is from 1930, in Time.
Nearby entries
- zootomist, n.1663–
- zootomy, n.1663–
- zootoxin, n.1906–
- zootrophy, n.1877–
- zoot suit, n.1942–
- zoot-suited, adj.1942–
- zoot-suiter, n.1942–
- zooty, adj.1942–
- zootype, n.1883–
- zootypic, adj.1853–
- zoowoman, n.1930–
- zooxanthella, n.1882–
- zooxanthellate, adj. & n.1981–
- zooxanthin, n.1868–
- zoozygosphere, n.1880–
- zope, n.1880–
- zophoric, adj.1728–
- zophorus | zoophorus, n.1563–
- zopilote, n.1787–
- zopissa, n.1601–
- zoppa, adj.1740–
1930–
A woman who works in, manages, or is associated with a zoo; a female zookeeper or animal handler.
1930
Conspicuous among the zoomen was the only zoowoman in the world.
Time 13 October 33/2
1995
An even better-known zoo woman was Belle Benchley of San Diego.
M. W. Rossiter, Before Affirmative Action 246
2012
The zoo woman told me that the three cats that died there had bacterial or viral infections.
B. Richards, World Without Cats 129
A person (esp. a man) who works in, manages, or is associated with a zoo; a male zookeeper; an animal handler.
A person responsible for taking care of the animals in a zoo; (sometimes also) the owner, director, or person in overall charge of a zoo.
A woman who works in, manages, or is associated with a zoo; a female zookeeper or animal handler.
Originally published as part of the entry for zoo, n.
zoo, n. was revised in June 2017.
<>