I.a living being, animal, Hdt., Ar., etc.
II.in painting and sculpture, a figure, image, not necessarily of animals, Hdt.; mostly in pl., ζῷα ἐς τὴν ἐσθῆτα ἐγγράφειν id=Hdt., Plat., etc.; ζῷα γράφεσθαι, ῀ ζωγραφεῖν, with a second acc. of the thing painted, ζῷα γράψασθαι τὴν ζεῦξιν τοῦ Βοσπόρου to have the passage of the Bosporus painted, Hdt.