zoophilism

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English

Etymology

From zoo- +‎ -philism.

Noun

zoophilism (uncountable)

  1. An affection for non-human animals
    • 2002, Dario Martinelli, How Musical Is a Whale?, page 76:
      Zoophilism bears witness to a new human being, one who no longer fears nature.
  2. (epidemiology) A preference of a parasite or vector to feed on non-human animals
    • 1951, Meillon de Botha, “Species and varieties of malaria vectors in Africa and their bionomics”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), page 421:
      They make the interesting suggestion that since cattle are rare in Kigezi christyi has had to abandon its zoophilism and become anthropophilic.
  3. Zoophilia, a sexual inclination towards bestiality