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zoo

Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2013 7:28 pm
by eberntson
zoo (n.)
c.1847, short for Zoological Gardens of the London Zoological Society, established 1828 in Regent's Park to house the society's collection of wild animals. From comb. form of Greek zoion "an animal," literally "a living being," from PIE root *gwei- "to live, life" (cf. Greek bios "life," Old English cwicu "living;" see bio-). Slang meaning "crowded and chaotic place" first recorded 1935.

Re: zoo

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 5:15 pm
by Perry Lassiter
Few comments today. Everyone go on vacation with Doc?
Zoe also means life in Greek. Now I'm gonna have to go find out the difference in connotation, if any.

Re: zoo

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 6:06 pm
by Slava
To give credit where credit is due, the etymology given above is from www.etymonline.com.

I like the tie-in with cwic, which is the root of quick, as in alive or pregnant. It goes all the way back to PIE and *gwiwo. Ignore the g and pronounce the ws as vs and you get vivo, which means I live.

Lots of life in this little word.

Re: zoo

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:21 pm
by eberntson
Slava is correct it is from www.etymonline.com.

:-)