zoophiliahttp://www.oed.com/dictionary/zoophilia_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_usezoophilia, n.
Revised 2017

zoophilianoun

Originally Psychology and Psychiatry.
  1. 1.
    1894–
    Emotional attachment to, or love of, animals; opposition to cruelty to animals; (in early use) esp. concern for the welfare of animals which is considered abnormal or obsessive.
    1. 1894
      The obsession reveals itself here either by a dread of certain animals (zoophobia), or by the impossibility of seeing them suffer in any way (zoophilia [French zoophilie], antivivisectionists of Magnan).
      H. M. Bannister, translation of E. Régis, Pract. Manual Mental Medicine viii. 274
    2. 1904
      The imaginary ‘vivisector’ whom the victims of the obsession of zoophilia are so fond of holding up to popular hatred.
      British Medical Journal 27 August 474/1
    3. 1972
      The concern is frequently so extreme and so distorted that the end result is kind of misanthropic zoophilia.
      Proceedings of American Philosophical Society vol. 116 159/2
    4. 2000
      Hitler's zoophilia, and Nazi environmentalism more generally, were connected with a hostility to ‘cosmopolitan’ intellect.
      Yale Law Journal vol. 110 535
  2. 2.
    1906–
    Sexual desire aroused by or directed towards animals; (in later use also) sexual activity with animals.
    1. 1906
      There is..the more or less sexual pleasure sometimes experienced..in the sight of copulating animals. This I would propose to call Mixoscopic Zoophilia; it falls within the range of normal variations.
      H. Ellis, Studies in Psychology of Sex vol. V. 71
    2. 1908
      We will first describe zoophilia, a sexual inclination towards animals without actual sexual intercourse.
      E. Paul, translation of I. Bloch, Sexual Life of our Time xxiii. 641
    3. 1940
      Zoöphilia..is a term coined by Krafft-Ebing to denote sexual excitement caused by the stroking and fondling of animals. It does not refer to sexual intercourse with animals.
      L. E. Hinsie & J. Shatzky, Psychiatric Dictionary 558/2
    4. 1966
      The extent to which zoophilia involving monkeys was actually practised is difficult to assess.
      R. Morris & D. Morris, Men & Apes iii. 65
    5. 1978
      One of your contemporaries referred in its review to the ‘zoophilia’ in this film. A simpler word is animalism or bestiality.
      Daily Telegraph 2 December 16
    6. 2007
      I am not for a moment attempting to equate homosexuality with zoophilia.
      GQ (U.K. edition) April 205/3

zoophilia, n. was revised in June 2017.

zoophilia, n. was last modified in September 2024.