Zoophyte
/ˈzoʊ.ə.faɪt/noun
An organism historically believed to combine characteristics of both animals and plants, especially a coral or similar colonial marine organism.
Did you know?In older natural history, corals and related organisms were placed in the category Zoophyta because they appeared plantlike when attached but showed animal characteristics when observed closely.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ζῷον (zōion)
“Animal or living creature”
Ancient Greek
Greek
φῠτόν (phuton)
“Plant; literally, something that has grown”
17th Century
Neo-Latin
zoophyton
“An animal-plant; a natural-history term for organisms thought to occupy the boundary between animals and plants”
18th Century
Latin
Zoophyta
“A taxonomic group containing corals and other plantlike marine organisms”
18th Century
English
zoophyte
“An organism regarded as intermediate between an animal and a plant”
Modern English
English
zoophyte
“A historical or descriptive term, especially for coral-like colonial marine animals”