"optical instrument which exhibits pictures as if alive and in action," 1867, literally "wheel of life," from Greek zoe "life" (from PIE root *gwei- "to live") + trope "a turn" (from PIE root *trep- "to turn").
Entries linking to zoetrope
*gwei-
also *gweie-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to live."
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit jivah "alive, living;" Old Persian *jivaka- "alive," Middle Persian zhiwak "alive;" Greek bios "one's life, course or way of living, lifetime," zoe "animal life, organic life;" Old English cwic, cwicu "living, alive;" Latin vivus "living, alive," vita "life;" Old Church Slavonic zivo "to live;" Lithuanian gyvas "living, alive," gyvata "(eternal) life;" Old Irish bethu "life," bith "age;" Welsh byd "world."
*trep-
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to turn."
It forms all or part of: apotropaic; atropine; Atropos; contrive; entropy; heliotrope; isotropic; psychotropic; retrieve; trope; -trope; trophy; tropic; tropical; tropism; troposphere; troubadour; zoetrope.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit trapate "is ashamed, confused," properly "turns away in shame;" Greek trepein "to turn," tropos "a turn, direction, course," trope "a turning;" Latin trepit "he turns."