zootheismhttp://www.oed.com/dictionary/zootheism_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_usezootheism, n.
Revised 2017

zootheismnoun

  1. 1879–
    The worship or veneration of animals; a belief system characterized by this; cf. zoolatry n.
    1. 1879
      Let us call this stage zoötheism, when men worship beasts.
      J. W. Powell in Popular Science Monthly October 805
    2. 1901
      Anthropologists have grouped the myths and faiths of mankind..ascending..through higher zootheism and broadening worship of nature-powers.
      Science 22 March 459/1
    3. 2006
      The religion of the Cherokees..is a mix of zootheism, or animal worship, combined with the worship of all tangible things including the sun, the moon, and the stars.
      W. Nelson & T. Pipkin, Tao of Willie 31

Originally published as part of the entry for zoo-, comb. form

zoo-, comb. form was revised in June 2017.