Zoophilists

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who shows an affectionate or sexual attraction to non-human animals
2. Someone advocating for or engaging in relationships with animals beyond mere companionship
3. An individual expressing love and respect for animal life, often promoting animal welfare and rights

Etymology: "Zoophilists" is the plural of "zoophilist," a word built from two Greek elements. The first, "zoo-," comes from "zōion," meaning "animal." The second, "-philist," combines "philo-," from "philos," meaning "loving," with the suffix "-ist," which marks a person who holds a particular outlook or practice. Put together, the parts describe someone who loves animals. The English word is a modern formation from these Greek building blocks, so its meaning follows directly from the parts: "zoo-" points to animals and "-philist" to fondness for them, and the plural simply makes the word refer to more than one such person.

Synonyms: animal lovers, animal enthusiasts, zoologists, animal rights activists

Antonyms: zoophobes