[ad. F. zoophile, f. Gr. ζῴον animal + -φιλος -loving.] a. Bot. A zoophilous plant, or its seed. b. = zoophilist. So Zoophilism = zoophily; Zoophilist, a lover of animals; an opponent of cruelty to animals, spec. an anti-vivisectionist; Zoophilite = prec.; Zoophilous a., loving animals; in Bot. (after entomophilous) applied to plants whose seeds are disseminated by the agency of animals; Zoophily, love of animals; spec. the principles of zoophilists.
1895. Pop. Sci. Merthly, Feb., 501. The seeds which are aided by this mode of dissemination are called *zoöphiles.
1886. Sat. Rev., 28 Aug., 290/2. The Progress of *Zoophilism.
1829. Hull Packet, 17 Nov. A species of animal which is likely to become a great favourite among our female *zoophilists.
a. 1843. Southey, Doctor, ccxxviii. Our Philosopher and Zoophilist … advised those who consulted him as to the best manner of taking and destroying rats.
1895. Frances Power Cobbe, in Contemp. Rev., Oct., 502. I do not plead—none of us Zoophilists have ever pleaded—for equal rights for animals with men; only for the recognition of some rights on their side.
1879. Sir R. Christison, in Life (1866), II. 251. He has been assailed by extreme *Zoöphilites.
1886. Nature, 26 Aug., 403/1. Plants … which he terms *‘zoophilous’ or ‘ornithophilous,’ i.e. those which are absolutely dependent for the germination of their seeds on the fruit being swallowed by birds.
1882. Cornh. Mag., March, 279 (title of article), *Zoophily.
1903. Month, Aug., 214. Father Rickaby has been singled out by the extremer advocates of Zoophily, or Zoolatry, as a sort of animal Torquemada who preaches cruelty to dumb beasts in its worst form.
