τὸ ζῷον, -ου the animal
ζῷον λέγεται ἀπὸ τοῦ ῥήματος ζῆν· πᾶν γὰρ ζῷον ζῇ καὶ κινεῖται καὶ πνεῖ· ἔνδοξος δ’ ἐστὶν ἡ γνώμη τοῦ Ἀριστοτέλους λέγοντος ὅτι·
ὁ ἄνθρωπος φύσει πολιτικὸν ζῷον.
The word „ζῷον“ (animal) is derived from the verb „ζῆν“ (to live) because every animal lives and moves and breathes. Famous is the saying of Aristotle who said:
Man is by nature a social („polis-forming“) animal. (Aristoteles, Politica 1253a)
