First published 2010
-zoiccombining form2
Factsheet
Where does the combining form -zoic come from?
-zoic is a borrowing from Greek, combined with an English element.
Etymons: Greek ζῷον, ‑ic suffix.
Nearby entries
- zodiographer, n.1650
- zoea, n.1828–
- zoeal, adj.?1870–
- zoetrope, n.1866–
- zographer, n.1570
- zography, n.1570
- zograscope, n.1753–
- Zohar, n.1682–
- zoic, adj.1863–
- -zoic, comb. form¹
- -zoic, comb. form²
- zoid, n.1856–
- zoid, adj.1864–
- zoidiophilous, adj.1872–
- zoidogamous, adj.1899–
- Zoilean, adj.1846–
- Zoilism, n.1609–
- Zoilist, n.1594–
- Zoilitical, adj.1665
- Zoilous, adj.1577–
- Zoilus, n.1565–
Etymology
< ancient Greek ζῷον animal (see zoon n.) + ‑ic suffix. Compare ‑zoan comb. form.
Notes
Formations are found from the mid 19th cent., chiefly after scientific Latin formations in ‑zoa ‑zoa comb. form.
Meaning & use
- Forming adjectives corresponding to the names of taxonomic groups in ‑zoa, as hydrozoic adj., metazoic adj., etc. Also: forming adjectives designating animals having the type of body, reproduction, behaviour, etc., of the type specified by the first element, as cryptozoic adj.2, epizoic adj., monozoic adj., etc.
Pronunciation
Primary stress is attracted to the first syllable of this combining form and vowels may be reduced accordingly.
Compounds & derived words
- Palaeozoic, adj. & n. 1838–Of, relating to, or designating the earliest of…
- Mesozoic, adj. & n. 1840–Of, relating to, or designating the second era of…
- anthozoic, adj. 1843–= anthozoan, adj.
- Neozoic, adj. & n. 1854–Of, relating to, or designating an era following…
- polyzoic, adj. 1855–Chiefly Zoology. Consisting of many individual…
- microzoic, adj. 1862–= microzoan, adj.
- protozoic, adj.² 1864–= protozoan, adj. Also in extended…
- arthrozoic, adj. 1877–(In some former classifications) designating a…
- cryptozoic, adj.² 1889–Designating animals that live in concealed…
- monozoic, adj. 1890–Of an oocyst or sporocyst of a coccidian…
- pelmatozoic, adj. 1891–Designating or relating to echinoderms which are…
- sporozoic, adj. 1892–= sporozoan, adj.
- phanerozoic, adj.¹ 1896–Designating animals living in exposed conditions…