zoochore
|zoo-chore|
🇺🇸
/ˈzuːəˌkɔr/
🇬🇧
/ˈzuːəˌkɔː/
animal-dispersed
Etymology
'zoochore' originates from modern New Latin/Neo-Latin (scientific coinage), formed from Greek elements 'zoon' meaning 'animal' and 'chorein' (via stem 'chor-') meaning 'to spread or move'.
'zoochore' was coined in scientific contexts (19th–20th century) from Neo-Latin/Greek elements; it parallels terms like 'anemochore' and 'hydrochore' and entered English technical usage without major form change.
Initially coined to denote organisms or diaspores dispersed by animals; the meaning has remained specialized and stable, referring to animal-mediated dispersal in ecology and botany.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a seed, fruit, or organism whose dispersal is effected by animals (i.e., dispersed by ingestion, attachment, or transport by animals).
Many forest plants produce zoochores that stick to the fur of passing mammals.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/27 05:49