zo|ol|o|gy

zo|ol|o|gy «zoh OL uh jee», noun, plural -gies.

1. the science of animals; study of animals and animal life, including their structure, physiology, development, and classification. Zoology and botany are the two main branches of biology. Abbr: zool.

2. the animals inhabiting a certain area.

3. the zoological facts or characteristics concerning a particular animal or group of animals: »

the zoology of vertebrates.

4. a treatise on zoology.

╂[< New Latin zoologia < New Greek zōiologíā (originally) science of pharmaceuticals derived from animals < Greek zoîon animal + -logíā -logy]