zoophyte

See also: zoöphyte

English

Alternative forms

zoöphyte, zoophite, zoöphite

Etymology

From zoo- +‎ -phyte, after Middle French zoophyte; later reinforced by scientific Latin Zoophyta.

Pronunciation

(UK) IPA^(key): /ˈzəʊəfaɪt/, /ˈzuːfaɪt/

Noun

zoophyte (plural zoophytes)

(biology, historical) An animal thought to have the characteristics of a plant, later specifically an invertebrate of the (former) group Zoophyta, comprising sponges, corals and sea anemones. [from 17th c.]
(biology, historical) A plant believed to have the characteristics of an animal, especially a sensitive plant or vegetable lamb. [from 17th c.]
- 1665, Robert Hooke, Micrographia, section XIX:
  And besides, as there are many Zoophyts, and sensitive Plants […] so have we, in some Authors, Instances of Plants turning into Animals, and Animals into Plants, and the like […]

Derived terms

Translations

invertebrate animal which resembles plants

Bulgarian: зоофи́т m (zoofít)
Finnish: zoofyytti
Greek: ζωόφυτο (el) n (zoófyto)
Ido: zoofito (io)
Irish: zóifít f, míol-luibh m
Italian: zoofito m
Malay: zoofit (ms)
Polish: zwierzokrzew m
Russian: зоофи́т (ru) m (zoofít)
Spanish: zoófito (es)

French

Pronunciation

Audio (file)

Noun

zoophyte m (plural zoophytes)

zoophyte

Further reading

“zoophyte”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

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