zookeeper

noun

zoo·​keep·​er ˈzü-ˌkē-pər How to pronounce zookeeper (audio)
: one who maintains or cares for animals in a zoo

Examples of zookeeper 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.
The zookeeper intervened before the two other girls in the Arctic wolf enclosure were attacked, according to AP. — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026 In October 2024, a group of lions mauled a zookeeper to death in Crimea after a door inside their enclosure was left unlocked. — CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026 Gharials are notoriously difficult to breed, and Fort Worth zookeepers spent more than a decade manipulating environmental conditions before the first four hatchlings made their appearance in 2023. — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2026 So zookeepers removed the egg from that nest and placed it under Houdini and Anke, who had previously raised several chicks. — Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for zookeeper

Word History

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of zookeeper was in 1886

Rhymes for zookeeper

See All Rhymes for zookeeper

Browse Nearby Words

zooidiophilous
zookeeper
zooks
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Zookeeper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zookeeper. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

zookeeper

noun
zoo·​keep·​er -ˌkē-pər How to pronounce zookeeper (audio)
: a person who keeps or cares for animals in a zoo
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