petting zoo

noun

: a collection of farm animals or gentle exotic animals for children to pet and feed

Examples of petting zoo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Visit the local petting zoo to meet farm animals. — Sherri Gordon, Parents, 22 June 2026 Kids will love the whimsical play area, Cocoland, which includes the water park along with a petting zoo and kids' club. — Chelsea Adams, USA Today, 20 June 2026 The concert will also include a paratrooper ride, a silent disco area, a puppy petting zoo, activations, food trucks and water stations. — Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026 The family lived near Morganton next to a petting zoo, also known as Hooves and Feathers Petting Farm. — Thomas Lake, AJC.com, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for petting zoo

Word History

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of petting zoo was in 1965

Rhymes for petting zoo

See All Rhymes for petting zoo

Browse Nearby Words

pettiness
petting zoo
pettish
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Petting zoo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petting%20zoo. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

petting zoo

noun
: a collection of farm animals or gentle exotic animals for children to pet and feed
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All