Definition

1. Noun:
   • The scientific study of animals: The branch of biology that focuses on the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct.
   • The animal life of a particular region or period: The collective animal species, or fauna, characteristic of a specific geographical area or a defined geological time period.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • She decided to major in zoology because of her fascination with animal behavior.
  • The zoology of the Amazon rainforest is incredibly diverse.
  • This book contrasts the zoology of the Pleistocene epoch with that of the present day.

Advanced Usage

• "In zoology": Used to specify the field of study or context.
  • This discovery was a major breakthrough in zoology.
• Comparative zoology: The study of differences and similarities in animal anatomy and physiology.
  • His research in comparative zoology helped clarify the evolutionary relationship between the species.

Variants and Related Words

• Zoological (adj): Pertaining to zoology or animals.
  • The zoological park houses over a thousand species.
• Zoologist (n): A scientist who studies zoology.
  • The famous zoologist published a paper on marine mammals.

Synonyms

• Animal biology: The biological science focused on animals.
• Fauna: The animals of a particular region, habitat, or geological period. (Note: This is a synonym primarily for the second meaning, referring to the collective animal life.)

Related Phrases

• Field of zoology: A specific area within the broader discipline.
  • Entomology is a field of zoology dedicated to insects.
• Department of Zoology: An academic division at a university.
  • He is a professor in the Department of Zoology.

Related Idioms

(Note: As a specific scientific term, "zoology" itself is not commonly used in idiomatic expressions. However, related concepts might be.) - A walking encyclopedia of zoology: Describing someone with extensive knowledge about animals. - Ask Dr. Jones about that insect; she's a walking encyclopedia of zoology.

Noun

1. the branch of biology that studies animals
2. all the animal life in a particular region or period
   • the fauna of China
   • the zoology of the Pliocene epoch