-
Defenition of the word animal
- Any living organism characterized by voluntary movement, the possession of cells with noncellulose cell walls and specialized sense organs enabling rapid response to stimuli, and the ingestion of complex organic substances such as plants and other animals.
- Any living organism of the Animalia reign except human
- Of or relating to animals.
- of the nature of or characteristic of or derived from an animal or animals; «the animal kingdom»; «animal instincts»; «animal fats»
- a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
- of the appetites and passions of the body; «animal instincts»; «carnal knowledge»; «fleshly desire»; «a sensual delight in eating»; «music is the only sensual pleasure without vice»
- marked by the appetites and passions of the body
Synonyms for the word animal
-
- animate being
- beast
- being
- bodily
- brute
- carnal
- creature
- fauna
- fleshly
- inborn
- innate
- instinctive
- living thing
- mammal
- monster
- physical
- sensual
- subconscious
- swine
- visceral
- zoon
Similar words in the animal
-
- animal
- animal’s
- animallike
- birdlike
- cranelike
- fishlike
- horselike
- insectlike
- physical
Meronymys for the word animal
-
- animal kingdom
- animal tissue
- Animalia
- caput
- face
- head
- kingdom Animalia
Hyponyms for the word animal
-
- acrodont
- adult
- biped
- captive
- chordate
- conceptus
- creepy-crawly
- critter
- darter
- dead animal
- domestic animal
- domesticated animal
- ectotherm
- embryo
- feeder
- female
- fertilized egg
- fictional animal
- game
- giant
- herbivore
- hexapod
- homeotherm
- homoiotherm
- homotherm
- insectivore
- invertebrate
- larva
- male
- marine animal
- marine creature
- mate
- metazoan
- migrator
- molter
- moulter
- mutant
- offspring
- omnivore
- peeper
- pest
- pet
- pleurodont
- poikilotherm
- predator
- predatory animal
- prey
- pureblood
- purebred
- quarry
- racer
- range animal
- scavenger
- sea animal
- sea creature
- stayer
- stunt
- survivor
- thoroughbred
- varment
- varmint
- vermin
- work animal
- young
- zooplankton
Hypernyms for the word animal
-
- being
- creature
- life form
- living thing
- organism
Antonyms for the word animal
-
- human
- mineral
- plant
- vegetable
See other words
-
- What is tower
- The definition of ivory tower
- The interpretation of the word ivory
- What is meant by proof
- The lexical meaning wig
- The dictionary meaning of the word barrister
- The grammatical meaning of the word hidden
- Meaning of the word crop
- Literal and figurative meaning of the word brush
- The origin of the word lobby
- Synonym for the word gear
- Antonyms for the word commodity
- Homonyms for the word common
- Hyponyms for the word experience
- Holonyms for the word recall
- Hypernyms for the word debole
- Proverbs and sayings for the word casa
- Translation of the word in other languages muro
English[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
- (UK, US) enPR: ăn’ĭməl, IPA(key): /ˈænɪməl/
Etymology 1[edit]
From Middle English animal, from Old French animal, from Latin animal, a nominal use of an adjective from animale, neuter of animālis, from anima (“breath, spirit”). Displaced native Middle English deor, der (“animal”) (from Old English dēor (“animal”)), Middle English reother (“animal, neat”) (from Old English hrīþer, hrȳþer (“neat, ox”)).
Noun[edit]
animal (plural animals)
- (sciences) A eukaryote of the clade Animalia; a multicellular organism that is usually mobile, whose cells are not encased in a rigid cell wall (distinguishing it from plants and fungi) and which derives energy solely from the consumption of other organisms (distinguishing it from plants).
-
A cat is an animal, not a plant. Humans are also animals, under the scientific definition, as we are not plants.
- Synonyms: beast, creature
-
1650, Thomas Browne, “Of the Cameleon”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC, 3rd book, page 133:
-
It cannot be denied it [the chameleon] is (if not the moſt of any) a very abſtemious animall, and ſuch as by reaſon of its frigidity, paucity of bloud, and latitancy in the winter (about which time the obſervations are often made) will long ſubſist without a viſible ſuſtentation.
-
-
- (loosely) Any member of the kingdom Animalia other than a human.
- Synonym: beast
- (loosely, colloquial) Any land-living vertebrate (i.e. not fishes, insects, etc.).
-
2013 July-August, Henry Petroski, “Geothermal Energy”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4:
-
Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame. With more settled people, animals were harnessed to capstans or caged in treadmills to turn grist into meal.
-
-
- (figuratively) A person who behaves wildly; a bestial, brutal, brutish, cruel, or inhuman person.
-
My students are animals.
- Synonyms: brute, monster, savage
-
- (informal) A person of a particular type.
-
He’s a political animal.
-
- Matter, thing.
-
a whole different animal
-
Hyponyms[edit]
- See also Thesaurus:animal
Derived terms[edit]
- animalist
[edit]
- anima
- Animalia
- animalier
- animate
- animus
Translations[edit]
Etymology 2[edit]
From Latin animālis, from either anima (“breath, spirit”) or animus. Originally distinct from the noun, it became associated with attributive use of the noun and is now indistinguishable from it.
Adjective[edit]
animal (not comparable)
- Of or relating to animals.
-
animal instincts
- Synonyms: beastly, bestial
-
- Raw, base, unhindered by social codes.
-
animal passions
- Synonyms: animalistic, beastly, bestial, untamed, wild
-
- Pertaining to the spirit or soul; relating to sensation or innervation.
- 2003, Roy Porter, Flesh in the Age of Reason (Penguin 2004), page 47:
- To explain what activated the flesh, ‘animal spirits’ were posited, superfine fluids which shuttled between the mind and the vitals, conveying messages and motion.
- 2003, Roy Porter, Flesh in the Age of Reason (Penguin 2004), page 47:
- (slang, Ireland) Excellent
Derived terms[edit]
- animal feed
- animalistic
- animal liberation
- animal magnetism
- animal rights
- manimal
- party animal
- political animal
- power animal
- anipal
- spirit animal
- advice animal
- animal activist
- animal charcoal
- animal cracker
- animal dentistry
- animal experimentation
- animal fat
- animal flower
- animal fries
- animal heat
- animal husbandry
- animal kingdom
- animal pole
- animal product
- animal registry
- animal science
- animal shelter
- animal spirits
- animal tester
- animal testing
- animal welfare
- animal welfarist
- animal-like
- assistance animal
- balloon animal
- companion animal
- compound animal
- draft animal
- draught animal
- emotional support animal
- farm animal
- funny animal
- go the entire animal
- moss animal
- pack animal
- plant-animal
- plush animal
- rare animal
- scape-animal
- service animal
- stuffed animal
- therapy animal
- wheel animal
- wild animal
- working animal
Translations[edit]
of animals
- Albanian: kafshë (sq)
- Asturian: animal (ast)
- Breton: loenel
- Bulgarian: животински (bg) m (životinski), необуздан (bg) m (neobuzdan)
- Catalan: animal (ca)
- Czech: zvířecí (cs)
- Danish: dyrisk
- Dutch: dierlijk (nl), dierlijke (nl)
- Finnish: eläin (fi)— (in compounds)
- French: animal (fr)
- Galician: animal (gl)
- German: tierisch (de)
- Greek: ζωώδης (el) (zoódis)
- Hebrew: חַיָּתִי m (ḥayyatí)
- Hindi: हैवानी (hi) (haivānī)
- Hungarian: állati (hu)
- Icelandic: dýrslegur
- Ido: animala (io), animalala (io)
- Indonesian: binatang (id), hewan (id), satwa (id)
- Interlingua: animal
- Irish: ainmhíoch
- Italian: animale (it)
- Japanese: 生き物の (ikimono no)
- Kabuverdianu: limária, bitxu
- Kurdish:
- Central Kurdish: حەیوانی (ḧeywanî)
- Northern Kurdish: ajal (ku)
- Latin: animalis (la)
- Latvian: dzīvnieka, dzīvniecisks
- Macedonian: живо́тински (živótinski)
- Malay:
- Jawi: بيناتڠ, حيوان, ستوا
- Rumi: binatang (ms), haiwan (ms), satwa (ms)
- Middle English: bestial
- Norwegian: dyrisk
- Bokmål: animalsk
- Nynorsk: animalsk
- Old English: dēoren
- Persian: حیوانی (fa) (heyvâni)
- Polish: zwierzęcy (pl)
- Portuguese: animal (pt)
- Romanian: animal (ro), animalic (ro)
- Russian: звери́ный (ru) m (zverínyj)
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: анималан, животињски
- Roman: animalan (sh), životinjski (sh)
- Slovak: zvierací m
- Slovene: živálski
- Spanish: animal (es)
- Swahili: kinyama, mifugo (sw)
- Swedish: djurisk (sv)
- Tagalog: hayop (tl)
- Turkish: hayvansal (tr), hayvanca (tr), hayvanî
- Zazaki: heywani
of soul
- Finnish: animaalinen, sielullinen
- Hungarian: lelki (hu)
- Italian: animale (it)
- Macedonian: ду́шевен (dúševen)
- Middle English: animal
- Romanian: sufletesc (ro)
See also[edit]
- Wiktionary appendix of terms relating to animals
Further reading[edit]
- animal at OneLook Dictionary Search
- animal in Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary, edited by The Keywords Project, Colin MacCabe, Holly Yanacek, 2018.
- “animal”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- animal in Britannica Dictionary
- animal in Ozdic collocation dictionary
- animal in WordReference English Collocations
Anagrams[edit]
- Alamin, Almain, Malian, Manila, Milana, al-Amin, almain, aminal, lamina, maalin, manila
Asturian[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Latin animal.
Adjective[edit]
animal (epicene, plural animales)
- animal
Noun[edit]
animal m (plural animales)
- animal
Catalan[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Latin animal.
Pronunciation[edit]
- (Balearic, Central) IPA(key): /ə.niˈmal/
- (Valencian) IPA(key): /a.niˈmal/
- Rhymes: -al
Adjective[edit]
animal (masculine and feminine plural animals)
- animal
Noun[edit]
animal m (plural animals)
- animal
Derived terms[edit]
- animalada
- animalitzar (“to animalize”)
Further reading[edit]
- “animal” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
- “animal”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2023
- “animal” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
- “animal” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
Cebuano[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Spanish animal, from Latin animal, a nominal use of an adjective from animale, neuter of animālis, from anima (“breath, spirit”).
Pronunciation[edit]
- Hyphenation: a‧ni‧mal
- IPA(key): /ʔaniˈmal/, [ʔʌ.n̪ɪˈmal̪]
Noun[edit]
animál
- animal
- (derogatory) a contemptible person
- (sometimes humurous) a crazy person
Adjective[edit]
animál
- (sometimes humorous) crazy
- contemptible, deserving contempt
- ruthless; without pity or compassion; cruel, pitiless
Interjection[edit]
animál
- (vulgar) used as an expression of disgust, anger, etc.
French[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Latin animal. Compare the archaic inherited doublet aumaille and its variant armaille, both from the Latin neuter plural animālia.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /a.ni.mal/
- Homophones: animale, animales
Noun[edit]
animal m (plural animaux)
- animal
- Synonyms: bête, bestiole
Derived terms[edit]
- animal de compagnie
- animal domestique
- animalerie
- droits des animaux
- règne animal
- reine des animaux
- roi des animaux
Adjective[edit]
animal (feminine animale, masculine plural animaux, feminine plural animales)
- animal
- Synonym: bestial
- Antonym: végétal
Further reading[edit]
- “animal”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Anagrams[edit]
- lamina
Galician[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Latin animal.
Adjective[edit]
animal m or f (plural animais)
- animal
Noun[edit]
animal m (plural animais)
- animal
Haitian Creole[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From French animal, from Latin animal.
Noun[edit]
animal
- animal
- Synonym: zannimo
Ilocano[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Spanish animal.
Pronunciation[edit]
- Hyphenation: a‧ni‧mal
- IPA(key): /ʔaniˈmal/, [ʔɐ.niˈmal]
Noun[edit]
animál
- animal
- Synonym: ayup
Interlingua[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /a.niˈmal/
Noun[edit]
animal (plural animales)
- animal
Kabuverdianu[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Portuguese animal.
Noun[edit]
animal
- beast
- animal
Latin[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From animāle, nominative neuter singular of animālis.
Pronunciation[edit]
- (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈa.ni.mal/, [ˈänɪmäɫ̪]
- (Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /ˈa.ni.mal/, [ˈäːnimäl]
Noun[edit]
animal n (genitive animālis); third declension
- animal
- living creature
Declension[edit]
Third-declension noun (neuter, “pure” i-stem).
Case | Singular | Plural |
---|---|---|
Nominative | animal | animālia |
Genitive | animālis | animālium |
Dative | animālī | animālibus |
Accusative | animal | animālia |
Ablative | animālī | animālibus |
Vocative | animal | animālia |
Synonyms[edit]
- bestia
[edit]
- anima
- animō
- animus
Descendants[edit]
- Aromanian: nãmalj, nãmaljiu
- Corsican: animale
- Dalmatian: animuol, animul
- Franco-Provençal: armalye
- Old French: almaille
- Middle French: almaille
- French: aumaille, armaille
- Middle French: almaille
- Friulian: nemâl
- Italian: animale
- → Maltese: annimal
- Old Galician-Portuguese: almallo
- Galician: almallo
- Portuguese: almalho, alimanha, alimária
- Romagnol: animêl
- Romanian: nămaie
- Sicilian: armali, armalu
- Spanish: alimaña, almaje
- Tarantino: anemale
- Venetian: animal, anemal
Borrowings:
- → Aragonese: animal
- → Asturian: animal
- → Basque: animalia
- → Breton: aneval
- → Catalan: animal
- → Franco-Provençal: animal
- → Friulian: animâl
- → Galician: animal
- → Ido: animalo (also from various others)
- → Interlingua: animal
- → Novial: animale
- → Occitan: animal
- → Old French: animal
- Middle French: animal
- French: animal
- Haitian Creole: animal
- → Romanian: animal
- French: animal
- → Middle English: animal, animale
- English: animal
- → Cebuano: animal
- → Esperanto: animalo (also from French)
- → Tok Pisin: animal
- Scots: ainimal
- English: animal
- Norman: animâ (France), annima (Jersey)
- Middle French: animal
- → Portuguese: animal
- Kabuverdianu: animal
- Papiamentu: animal
- → Romansch: animal
- → Spanish: animal
- → Welsh: anifail
References[edit]
- “animal”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- “animal”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
- animal in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
- animal in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette
- Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
- animate and inanimate nature: animata (animalia) inanimaque (not inanimata)
- domestic animals: animalia quae nobiscum degunt (Plin. 8. 40)
Middle English[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /aniˈmaːl/, /aˈnimal/
Etymology 1[edit]
Borrowed from Old French animal, from Latin animal.
Alternative forms[edit]
- animale
Noun[edit]
animal (plural animales)
- An animal (considered to include humans)
Descendants[edit]
- English: animal
- Scots: ainimal
References[edit]
- “animāl, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-01-16.
Etymology 2[edit]
Borrowed from Latin animālis.
Alternative forms[edit]
- animale, animall, anymal, anymall
Adjective[edit]
animal
- Related to the soul or spirit of a living being (i.e. sentience or sapience)
Descendants[edit]
- English: animal
References[edit]
- “animāl, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-01-16.
Middle French[edit]
Noun[edit]
animal m (plural animaux or animaulx)
- animal
- Synonym: beste
Papiamentu[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Portuguese animal and Spanish animal.
Noun[edit]
animal
- beast
- animal
Portuguese[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Latin animal. Doublet of alimária.
Pronunciation[edit]
- (Brazil) IPA(key): /a.niˈmaw/ [a.niˈmaʊ̯]
- (Portugal) IPA(key): /ɐ.niˈmal/ [ɐ.niˈmaɫ]
- Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw
- Hyphenation: a‧ni‧mal
Adjective[edit]
animal m or f (plural animais, comparable, comparative mais animal, superlative o mais animal or animalíssimo)
- (biology) animal (relating to animals)
- 2000, Julio S. Inglez de Sousa et al., Enciclopédia agrícola brasileira: E-H, Editora da Universidade de São Paulo, page 225:
-
Em anatomia animal o termo é de uso muito comum, […]
- The term is very commonly used in animal anatomy, […]
-
- 2000, Julio S. Inglez de Sousa et al., Enciclopédia agrícola brasileira: E-H, Editora da Universidade de São Paulo, page 225:
- (derogatory, of a person) brute (senseless, unreasoning)
- (Brazil, colloquial) cool; awesome
- 2015, Juliana Rosenthal K., Save the Day, Buqui, page 52:
-
É, tava animal mesmo — Bia mal consegue falar.
- Yeah, it really was wild — Bia can barely speak.
-
- 2015, Juliana Rosenthal K., Save the Day, Buqui, page 52:
Quotations[edit]
For quotations using this term, see Citations:animal.
Noun[edit]
animal m (plural animais)
- (biology) animal (any member of the kingdom Animalia)
- 2020, Petrônio Braz, Léxico dos Gerais, Chiado Books, page 481:
-
Primatas — Animais mamíferos, da ordem Primata, que compreende os macacos, antropóides e o homem.
- Primates — Mammalian animals, of the order Primata, which comprises monkeys/apes, anthropoids and man.
-
- 2020, Petrônio Braz, Léxico dos Gerais, Chiado Books, page 481:
- (non-scientific usage) animal (an animal other than a human, especially a vertebrate)
- Daniela Ikawa, Valor humano intrínseco e redistribuição social in 2007, Flávia Piovesan, Daniela Ikawa, Direitos Humanos: Fundamento, Proteção e Implementação, volume 2, Juruá Editora, page 44:
-
Separar os dois grupos — humanos e animais requereria, dentro dos limites da teoria relativa à dor e ao sofrimento, […]
- Separating the twe groups — humans and animals would require, within the limits of the theory relating to pain and suffering, […]
-
- Synonyms: besta, bicho
- Daniela Ikawa, Valor humano intrínseco e redistribuição social in 2007, Flávia Piovesan, Daniela Ikawa, Direitos Humanos: Fundamento, Proteção e Implementação, volume 2, Juruá Editora, page 44:
- (colloquial) twat; idiot; moron
- 1979, Wilson Bacelar de Oliveira, Os meus fantasmas, Editora Comunicação, page 490:
-
Escute aqui, seu animal, então você brigou com o companheiro?
- Listen up, you dumbass, so you fought with [your] mate?
-
- Synonyms: idiota, retardado, burro, imbecil, débil mental, besta
- 1979, Wilson Bacelar de Oliveira, Os meus fantasmas, Editora Comunicação, page 490:
- (colloquial) beast (a cruel person)
- 2007, Creso Balduíno, O verso do ser, Editora Revan, page 170:
-
Josuel é um animal repulsivo, uma besta humana.
- Josuel is a repulsive beast, a human beast.
-
- Synonym: monstro
- 2007, Creso Balduíno, O verso do ser, Editora Revan, page 170:
Quotations[edit]
For quotations using this term, see Citations:animal.
Derived terms[edit]
- animal de estimação
- animalizar
- animalzão (augmentative)
- animalzinho (diminutive)
Romanian[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from French animal, from Latin animal. Doublet of nămaie.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /a.niˈmal/
Adjective[edit]
animal m or n (feminine singular animală, masculine plural animali, feminine and neuter plural animale)
- animal, animalistic
- brutal
Declension[edit]
Adverb[edit]
animal
- brutally
Noun[edit]
animal n (plural animale)
- animal
Declension[edit]
Romansch[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Latin animal.
Noun[edit]
animal m (plural animals)
- (Rumantsch Grischun, Sursilvan, Sutsilvan, Surmiran, Vallader) animal
Synonyms[edit]
- (Rumantsch Grischun, Sursilvan, Surmiran) biestg
- (Rumantsch Grischun, Sutsilvan) bestga
- (Sursilvan) tier, bestia
- (Puter, Vallader) bes-cha
Spanish[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Latin animal. See also alimaña, an inherited doublet.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /aniˈmal/ [a.niˈmal]
- Rhymes: -al
- Syllabification: a‧ni‧mal
Adjective[edit]
animal (plural animales)
- animal
Noun[edit]
animal m (plural animales)
- animal
Derived terms[edit]
- animal de carga
- animal de compañía
- animal doméstico
- animal salvaje
- animal terrestre
- animalada
- animalero
- animalesco
- animalillo
- animalismo
- animalista
- animalístico
- animalito
- animalizar
- animalmente
- animalucho
- protectora de animales
[edit]
- animálculo
- animalidad
Further reading[edit]
- “animal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014
Anagrams[edit]
- lámina
- lamina
Tagalog[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Spanish animal.
Pronunciation[edit]
- Hyphenation: a‧ni‧mal
- IPA(key): /ʔaniˈmal/, [ʔɐ.nɪˈmal]
Noun[edit]
animál
- beast; brute; creature
- Synonyms: halimaw, hayop
- (derogatory) brutish person; inhuman person
- Synonyms: hayop, bruto, bestiya
Derived terms[edit]
- kaanimalan
- pagkaanimal
Tok Pisin[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From English animal.
Noun[edit]
animal
- animal (members of Kingdom Animalia that are not humans)
-
1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 1:25:
- Synonym: abus
-
Noun
the animals in the zoo
the plants and animals of the forest
She loves all kinds of animals.
Fish, birds, insects, reptiles, mammals, and human beings are all animals.
You’re all behaving like a bunch of animals.
Adjective
several different plant and animal species
milk, meat, and other animal products
People were shocked by the animal brutality of the attack.
See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Captured on game camera — a mystery animal lurking in the Rio Grande Valley!
—Li Cohen, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2023
Agricultural expansion, deforestation, and infrastructure have fragmented tiger habitats, according to the WWF – particularly devastating given tigers are solitary animals who require large territories to roam and hunt.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN, 10 Apr. 2023
Squirrels are wild animals, not pets.
—John Kelly, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2023
Garden centers have a variety of repellents for sale to spray on garden plants to repel animals.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2023
Oklahoma The American bison is Oklahoma’s state animal.
—Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2023
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is on the lookout for a mysterious, squat animal that appeared on nighttime footage taken at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park.
—Shepard Price, San Antonio Express-News, 7 Apr. 2023
But the revised manuscript says the samples don’t resolve whether infected animals, humans, or even contaminated food introduced the virus to the market, where the first cluster of COVID-19 cases surfaced in December 2019.
—Byscience News Staff, science.org, 6 Apr. 2023
There are many other variations and combinations of empathic abilities, Yoon said, such as the ability to sense the emotions of animals, plants or even the environment.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2023
Nature friendly and environmentally friendly products are readily accepted by the sophisticated consumer who is searching for products that are non-animal.
—Walter Loeb, Forbes, 10 June 2022
Yiannas’ notice comes less than a week before Califf is expected to release a response to a scathing report calling for an overhaul of the way the agency regulates human and animal foods.
—Jonel Aleccia, ajc, 25 Jan. 2023
The effects wouldn’t be seen just in animal life—wildebeests help to maintain the grassland ecosystem, too.
—Andrew Moseman, Discover Magazine, 15 Sep. 2010
The lawsuit is likely to put the spotlight on the explosive growth of plastics pollution, which scientists say is affecting air and water quality, global warming, as well as human and animal life.
—Catherine Porter, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2023
Hypercarnivores — such as polar bears, gray wolves and Arctic foxes — are typical predators in the Arctic, where there are few non-animal food sources, especially during winter.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 10 June 2014
Then the real test began, as the scientists connected each motionless animal to the OrganEx system or, as a control, to a standard ECMO.
—Esther Landhuis, Popular Mechanics, 12 Dec. 2022
That poses a threat to human and animal health around the world.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 15 Dec. 2022
In his first bid for citywide office, Koretz has touted his focus on renters’ rights, his advocacy for animal anti-cruelty laws and his environmental policies.
—Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘animal.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
any unwanted and destructive insect or other animal that attacks food or crops or livestock etc.
a regional term for `creature’ (especially for domestic animals)
an animal that creeps or crawls (such as worms or spiders or insects)
a person or other animal that moves abruptly and rapidly
an animal that makes short high-pitched sounds
an animal that has a body temperature that is relatively constant and independent of the environmental temperature
an animal whose body temperature varies with the temperature of its surroundings; any animal except birds and mammals
any animal that lives and grazes in the grassy open land of western North America (especially horses, cattle, sheep)
any usually predatory wild animal considered undesirable; e.g., coyote
any animal that feeds on refuse and other decaying organic matter
an animal trained for and used for heavy labor
any of various animals that have been tamed and made fit for a human environment
an animal that feeds on a particular source of food
an animal (especially birds and fish) that travels between different habitats at particular times of the year
an animal (especially birds and arthropods and reptiles) that periodically shed their outer layer (feathers or cuticle or skin or hair)
a domesticated animal kept for companionship or amusement
a person or other animal having powers of endurance or perseverance
a creature (especially a whale) that has been prevented from attaining full growth
any of numerous animals inhabiting the sea including e.g. fishes and molluscs and many mammals
an animal that produces gametes (ova) that can be fertilized by male gametes (spermatozoa)
an animal that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that can fertilize female gametes (ova)
any mature animal
any immature animal
a pedigreed animal of unmixed lineage; used especially of horses
any creature of exceptional size
an animal that survives in spite of adversity
an animal that has undergone mutation
any animal that feeds chiefly on grass and other plants
any organism that feeds mainly on insects
an animal having teeth consolidated with the summit of the alveolar ridge without sockets
an animal having teeth fused with the inner surface of the alveolar ridge without sockets
animal constituent of plankton; mainly small crustaceans and fish larvae
an animal organism in the early stages of growth and differentiation that in higher forms merge into fetal stages but in lower forms terminate in commencement of larval life
any animal of the phylum Chordata having a notochord or spinal column
any animal lacking a backbone or notochord; the term is not used as a scientific classification
any animal of the subkingdom Metazoa; all animals except protozoans and sponges
an animal that feeds on both animal and vegetable substances
any animal that lives by preying on other animals
animal hunted or caught for food
animal hunted for food or sport
an animal having six feet
an animal with two feet
the immature free-living form of most invertebrates and amphibians and fish which at hatching from the egg is fundamentally unlike its parent and must metamorphose
an animal that races
animals that exist only in fiction (usually in children’s stories)
an animal that is confined
the partner of an animal (especially a sexual partner)
any of various small animals or insects that are pests; e.g. cockroaches or rats
a scavenger that feeds low on the food chain
an animal such as a donkey or ox or elephant used for transporting loads or doing other heavy work
an animal used for pulling heavy loads
an animal being fattened or suitable for fattening
a domestic animal (especially a young steer or heifer) kept as stock until fattened or matured and suitable for a breeding establishment
any recently hatched animal (especially birds)
a single domestic animal
unwanted marine creatures that are caught in the nets while fishing for another species
female of certain aquatic animals e.g. octopus or lobster
a young animal without a mother
any immature mammal
male parent of an animal especially a domestic animal such as a horse
female parent of an animal especially domestic livestock
any animal that feeds on flesh
early stage of an embryo produced by cleavage of an ovum; a liquid-filled sphere whose wall is composed of a single layer of cells; during this stage (about eight days after fertilization) implantation in the wall of the uterus occurs
double-walled stage of the embryo resulting from invagination of the blastula; the outer layer of cells is the ectoderm and the inner layer differentiates into the mesoderm and endoderm
a solid mass of blastomeres that forms when the zygote splits; develops into the blastula
fish-like animals having a notochord rather than a true spinal column
primitive marine animal having a saclike unsegmented body and a urochord that is conspicuous in the larva
free-swimming larva of ascidians; they have a tail like a tadpole that contains the notochord
animals having a bony or cartilaginous skeleton with a segmented spinal column and a large brain enclosed in a skull or cranium
a bird that is still young
invertebrate having jointed limbs and a segmented body with an exoskeleton made of chitin
animals that nourish their young with milk
any of various invertebrate animals resembling a plant such as a sea anemone or coral or sponge
primitive multicellular marine animal whose porous body is supported by a fibrous skeletal framework; usually occurs in sessile colonies
radially symmetrical animals having saclike bodies with only one opening and tentacles with stinging structures; they occur in polyp and medusa forms
biradially symmetrical hermaphroditic solitary marine animals resembling jellyfishes having for locomotion eight rows of cilia arranged like teeth in a comb
any of numerous relatively small elongated soft-bodied animals especially of the phyla Annelida and Chaetognatha and Nematoda and Nemertea and Platyhelminthes; also many insect larvae
any of various insects or larvae or mollusks that bore into wood
encysted saclike larva of the tapeworm
tadpole-shaped parasitic larva of a trematode worm; tail disappears in adult stage
minute aquatic multicellular organisms having a ciliated wheel-like organ for feeding and locomotion; constituents of freshwater plankton
invertebrate having a soft unsegmented body usually enclosed in a shell
a young oyster or other bivalve
a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
a tall slender dog of an ancient breed noted for swiftness and keen sight; used as a racing dog
any domesticated member of the genus Felis
an animal that has strayed (especially a domestic animal)
large animals that are hunted for sport
any bird (as grouse or pheasant) that is hunted for sport
wormlike larva of various elaterid beetles; feeds on roots of many crop plants
the larva of beetles of the family Tenebrionidae
larva of a mosquito
larva of chalcid flies injurious to the straw of wheat and other grains
the larva of any of several insects
carnivorous larva of lacewing flies
large brown aquatic larva of the dobsonfly; used as fishing bait
insect larva that constructs a protective case around its body
a wormlike and often brightly colored and hairy or spiny larva of a butterfly or moth
a larva of an insect with incomplete metamorphosis (as the dragonfly or mayfly)
slender transparent larva of eels and certain fishes
botfly larva; typically develops inside the body of a horse or sheep or human
a soft thick wormlike larva of certain beetles and other insects
hermaphrodite wormlike animal living in mud of the sea bottom
sessile aquatic animal forming mossy colonies of small polyps each having a curved or circular ridge bearing tentacles; attach to stones or seaweed and reproduce by budding
sessile mossy aquatic animal having the anus of the polyp outside the crown of tentacles
any of various moss-like aquatic animals usually forming branching colonies; each polyp having a both mouth and anus within a closed ring of tentacles
only known species of Cycliophora; lives symbiotically attached to a lobster’s lip by an adhesive disk and feeding by means of a hairy mouth ring; its complex life cycle includes asexual and sexual phases
marine animal with bivalve shell having a pair of arms bearing tentacles for capturing food; found worldwide
small unsegmented marine worm that when disturbed retracts its anterior portion into the body giving the appearance of a peanut
marine invertebrates with tube feet and five-part radially symmetrical bodies
a young female horse under the age of four
a young male horse under the age of four
the male of species Equus caballus
a horse trained to run in steeplechases
an animal that wins in a contest of speed
castrated bull
a larval frog or toad
a fish that is young
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educalingo
To give a child animal products is a form of child abuse.
Neal Barnard
ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD ANIMAL
From Latin animal (n), from animālis (adj) living, breathing.
Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.
PRONUNCIATION OF ANIMAL
GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF ANIMAL
Animal can act as a noun and an adjective.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.
The adjective is the word that accompanies the noun to determine or qualify it.
WHAT DOES ANIMAL MEAN IN ENGLISH?
Animal
Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their lives. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and independently. All animals must ingest other organisms or their products for sustenance. Most known animal phyla appeared in the fossil record as marine species during the Cambrian explosion, about 542 million years ago. Animals are divided into various sub-groups, some of which are: vertebrates; molluscs; arthropods; annelids; sponges; and jellyfish.
Definition of animal in the English dictionary
The first definition of animal in the dictionary is any living organism characterized by voluntary movement, the possession of cells with noncellulose cell walls and specialized sense organs enabling rapid response to stimuli, and the ingestion of complex organic substances such as plants and other animals related prefix zoo-. Other definition of animal is any mammal, esp any mammal except man. Animal is also a brutish person.
WORDS THAT RHYME WITH ANIMAL
Synonyms and antonyms of animal in the English dictionary of synonyms
SYNONYMS OF «ANIMAL»
The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «animal» and belong to the same grammatical category.
Translation of «animal» into 25 languages
TRANSLATION OF ANIMAL
Find out the translation of animal to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of animal from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «animal» in English.
Translator English — Chinese
动物
1,325 millions of speakers
Translator English — Spanish
animal
570 millions of speakers
English
animal
510 millions of speakers
Translator English — Hindi
पशु
380 millions of speakers
Translator English — Arabic
حَيَوان
280 millions of speakers
Translator English — Russian
животное
278 millions of speakers
Translator English — Portuguese
animal
270 millions of speakers
Translator English — Bengali
পশু
260 millions of speakers
Translator English — French
animal
220 millions of speakers
Translator English — Malay
Haiwan
190 millions of speakers
Translator English — German
Tier
180 millions of speakers
Translator English — Japanese
動物
130 millions of speakers
Translator English — Korean
동물
85 millions of speakers
Translator English — Javanese
Kewan
85 millions of speakers
Translator English — Vietnamese
động vật
80 millions of speakers
Translator English — Tamil
கால்நடை
75 millions of speakers
Translator English — Marathi
प्राणी
75 millions of speakers
Translator English — Turkish
hayvan
70 millions of speakers
Translator English — Italian
animale
65 millions of speakers
Translator English — Polish
zwierzę
50 millions of speakers
Translator English — Ukrainian
тварина
40 millions of speakers
Translator English — Romanian
animal
30 millions of speakers
Translator English — Greek
ζώο
15 millions of speakers
Translator English — Afrikaans
dier
14 millions of speakers
Translator English — Swedish
djur
10 millions of speakers
Translator English — Norwegian
dyr
5 millions of speakers
Trends of use of animal
TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «ANIMAL»
The term «animal» is very widely used and occupies the 2.276 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
FREQUENCY
Very widely used
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «animal» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of animal
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «animal».
FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «ANIMAL» OVER TIME
The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «animal» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «animal» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.
Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about animal
10 QUOTES WITH «ANIMAL»
Famous quotes and sentences with the word animal.
In the animal world, there are all kinds of behaviors that are binary: for example, to flee or to fight. In any evolutionary environment, knowing your opponent’s decision would not be advantageous for long because your opponent would evolve the same recognition mechanism to also know you.
I have two Filipino nannies who have British passport and not me. I don’t need British passport. When you were running around in an animal skin, my ancestors were building the pyramids.
Self-interest is but the survival of the animal in us. Humanity only begins for man with self-surrender.
For years, I’ve felt an obligation to harvest an animal, since all my life I’ve so mindlessly consumed them. But that was from the safety of my desk.
To give a child animal products is a form of child abuse.
I keep reading that I’m cold. But I’m not, I’m shy. And I play a lot of women of fire and sexuality like an animal — so I’m cold on one side and fiery on the other.
It is through this mysterious power that we too have our being, and we therefore yield to our neighbors, even to our animal neighbors, the same right as ourselves to inhabit this vast land.
I blame it on Walt Disney, where animals are given human qualities. People don’t understand that a wild animal is not something that is nice to pat. It can seriously harm you.
I think I’ve kind of been mistaken for somebody who’s trying to be a spokesperson for animal rights, and the fact is I’m not qualified to be a spokesperson. I am passionate about it, but I’m not trying to make other people do what I do.
If it is indeed impossible — or at least very difficult — to inhabit the consciousness of an animal, then in writing about animals there is a temptation to project upon them feelings and thoughts that may belong only to our own human mind and heart.
10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «ANIMAL»
Discover the use of animal in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to animal and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide to the World’s Wildlife
Offers photographs and information about mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, and invertebrates from throughout the world.
David Burnie, Dr Don E Wilson, 2001
When Animal returns to Harlem and learns of the attempt on his soul mate’s life, he wages a personal war against those responsible, only to discover the frightening truth in the process. Original. 50,000 first printing.
A guide to reading «Animal Farm» with a critical and appreciative mind. Includes background on the author’s life and times, sample tests, term paper suggestions, and a reading list.
David Ball, George Orwell, 1984
Perfect for all the family, essential for nature students and conservationists everywhere — Animal is a classic for a new generation. The book’s beautiful flocked cover, made to look just like a real zebra, also makes it the perfect gift.
Neither evangelical nor proselytizing, Animal invites the reader to think beyond the boundaries of a subject that has a direct effect on our day-to-day lives.
This beloved, bestselling guide has become a classic reference for anyone wishing to forge a spiritual connection with the majesty and mystery of the animal world.
7
Animal Minds: Beyond Cognition to Consciousness
A pioneer in animal cognition makes the case for investigating the consciousness of non-humans, using examples from his work with dolphins, chimpanzees, and birds to back his arguement, in a revised and expanded edition of the classic study …
8
Alternatives to Animal Testing
An up-to-date discussion of the development of alternatives to animal testing, ideal for professionals and academics.
Ronald E. Hester, Roy M. Harrison, 2006
9
Animal Testing: Issues and Ethics
Discusses the pros and cons of testing products intended for human use on animals, as well as the legal and ethical issues involved.
10
Encyclopedia of Animal Rights and Animal Welfare [2 …
The work helps readers understand the different viewpoints of animal welfare advocates who want to improve conditions for animals and animal rights activists who don’t want animals used at all.
10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «ANIMAL»
Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term animal is used in the context of the following news items.
‘We’re a violent nation’ – director tackles Spain’s festival culture of …
The festival has attracted increasing criticism from animal rights groups – on Saturday activists from Peta staged a protest to draw attention to … «The Guardian, Jul 15»
Indy offers pet care for animal lovers in need
Of the 15,000 abandoned animals that wind up at the Indianapolis Animal Care and Control shelter each year, about 30 percent come from … «Indianapolis Star, Jul 15»
Animal abuse film exposes dark side of Spanish festivals — video
Scenes from an upcoming documentary on animal abuse at Spain’s religious festivals. Santa Fiesta, directed by Miguel Ángel Rolland, looks at … «The Guardian, Jul 15»
Chinese animal farms to be used as earthquake warning centers
Workers at these animal farms have been asked to report the behavior of … Park, one of the refurbished animal farms, according to China Daily. «Times of India, Jul 15»
Animal activists protest at circus
The protesters – under the banner of Ban Animal Circuses – were holding up placards reading “Not born to perform” and “Your fun, misery for … «Independent Online, Jul 15»
The Link Between Animal Cruelty And Human Violence
Any act that tortures or causes suffering and/or pain to any animal qualifies as animal abuse. Such acts range from a failure to provide food and … «Huffington Post India, Jul 15»
Canada by motorhome: Animal spotting around Banff and Jasper
The England Lionesses have done the country so proud in Canada that they deserve a holiday – and if a holiday exploring wild places of … «The Independent, Jul 15»
Animal Shelter Collecting Record Number of Pets After 4th of July
It’s one of the busiest nights for animal shelters across the nation. The Washoe County Animal Services collected more than 40 dogs on Sunday … «KOLO, Jul 15»
OKC Animal Welfare Encounters Many Strays After July 4 Holiday
OKLAHOMA CITY -. July 5 is one of the busiest days of the year for animal control in Oklahoma City. With many pets getting loose after being … «news9.com KWTV, Jul 15»
All 300 dogs and cats moved from Lawrence County Animal Shelter
On Sunday, all 300 animals from the Lawrence County Animal Shelter were settled into a temporary facility where they will receive medical … «WAAY, Jul 15»
REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Animal [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/animal>. Apr 2023 ».
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- Synonyms
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- British
- Scientific
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
[ an—uh-muhl ]
/ ˈæn ə məl /
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
noun
any member of the kingdom Animalia, comprising multicellular organisms that have a well-defined shape and usually limited growth, can move voluntarily, actively acquire food and digest it internally, and have sensory and nervous systems that allow them to respond rapidly to stimuli: some classification schemes also include protozoa and certain other single-celled eukaryotes that have motility and animallike nutritional modes.
any such living thing other than a human being.
a mammal, as opposed to a fish, bird, etc.
the physical, sensual, or carnal nature of human beings; animality: the animal in every person.
an inhuman person; brutish or beastlike person: She married an animal.
thing: A perfect job? Is there any such animal?
adjective
of, relating to, or derived from animals: animal instincts; animal fats.
pertaining to the physical, sensual, or carnal nature of humans, rather than their spiritual or intellectual nature: animal needs.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Which sentence is correct?
Origin of animal
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English (from Old French ), from Latin, noun derivative (with loss of final vowel and shortening of ā) of animāle, neuter of animālis “living, animate,” equivalent to anim(a) “air, breath” + -ālis; English adjective also directly from Latin animālis; see -al1;
synonym study for animal
2. Animal, beast, brute refer to sentient creatures as distinct from minerals and plants; figuratively, they usually connote qualities and characteristics below the human level. Animal is the general word; figuratively, it applies merely to the body or to animal-like characteristics: An athlete is a magnificent animal. Beast refers to four-footed animals; figuratively, it suggests a base, sensual nature: A glutton is a beast. Brute implies absence of ability to reason; figuratively, it connotes savagery as well: a drunken brute. 8. See carnal.
OTHER WORDS FROM animal
an·i·mal·ic [an-uh—mal-ik], /ˌæn əˈmæl ɪk/, an·i·ma·li·an [an-uh—mey-lee-uhn, —meyl-yuhn], /ˌæn əˈmeɪ li ən, -ˈmeɪl yən/, adjectivenon·an·i·mal, noun, adjectivesem·i·an·i·mal, noun, adjectivesu·per·an·i·mal, adjective
Words nearby animal
anilingus, anim., anima, animadversion, animadvert, animal, animal behavior, animal black, animal charcoal, animal companion, animal control
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
MORE ABOUT ANIMAL
What does animal mean?
In the field of science, an animal is a living thing that meets specific requirements:
- It is made up of more than one cell.
- It has a well-defined shape and limited growth.
- It can move voluntarily.
- It can get its own food and digest it within itself.
- It has sensory and nervous systems that allow it to react to its environment.
This definition includes human beings. Outside of scientific usage, animal is used in several ways.
Most commonly, an animal is a living being that meets the above requirements but is not a human being.
An animal can be just a mammal, that is, an animal that has fur, gives birth, and produces milk. A dog is a mammal, for example, while a fish is not.
Animal is also used to describe something that is related to or comes from an animal, such as animal fats (fats that come from an animal) or animal behavior, which is often separate from human behavior.
Example: Scientists have discovered a new group of animals that live in the extreme depths of the Great Barrier Reef.
Where does animal come from?
The first records of the term animal come from the 1300s. It ultimately comes from the Latin animālis, meaning “living,” or “animate.” All animals are living things.
While scientists use animal to mean something very specific, in everyday speech, animal is used much more broadly. When someone acts rude, brutish, or even cruel, they might be described as acting like an animal, even though animals don’t do things with the intention to be mean to another animal. People also use the term animal to refer to anything that is very different from something else, as in I like cooking dinner, but cleaning up is a completely different animal.
Did you know … ?
How is animal used in real life?
Animal is used in many different contexts, especially in the scientific fields. When used casually, it is primarily used to describe creatures, such as pets, or to describe human’s nature in a negative context.
Me seeing animal: hello
Me seeing human: hell no— 9GAG (@9GAG) December 15, 2018
if you spontaneously say “hey bud” when you see an animal of any sort. please rt
— cara giaimo (@cjgiaimo) July 18, 2018
I’m the last person to bully but have an animal instinct to protect and defend my family.
— Khloé (@khloekardashian) July 18, 2016
Try using animal!
Which of the following is NOT a synonym for animal?
A. boulder
B. beast
C. creature
D. pet
Words related to animal
bodily, natural, beast, creature, pet, brute, mammalian, wild, being, critter, invertebrate, mutt, stray, varmint, vertebrate, beastly, bestial, brutish, corporeal, earthly
How to use animal in a sentence
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Although humans might have hunted at the lake, the researchers found no stone tools or animal bones bearing butchery marks.
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It was a forest that had persisted for more than 100 million years, sheltering a dizzying abundance of plants, animals, and fungi that were found nowhere else on Earth.
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With that coupling, you also get 693 phase-detect autofocus points to enable face tracking for both people and animals.
-
They’re also a key food source for bigger animals like bears and whales.
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Species ranged in size from smaller, doggish animals to somewhat cowlike creatures.
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He then provides some insight into his psyche — complete with Animal House reference.
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Although the NFL party animal loves flaunting his washboard abs, he seems more fratboy than Fabio.
-
This is acting in every sense of the word—bringing an unevolved animal to life and making it utterly believable.
-
Not sure if you noticed, but 2014 has been a banner year for animal robots.
-
A 64-year-old animal trainer, he makes the six-hour round-trip every two weeks to submit to her and explore his sexuality.
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In pursuing his alchemical researches, he discovered Prussian blue, and the animal oil which bears his name.
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Both animal and man seemed to be dozing, but they woke into activity when the sahib approached.
-
A girl was moved to pity by a picture of a lamb caught in a thicket, and tried to lift the branch that lay across the animal.
-
The impulse to study appearances appears to reach far down in animal life.
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Sometimes the animal was caught in a trap which was nothing less than a hut of logs with a single entrance.
British Dictionary definitions for animal
noun
zoology any living organism characterized by voluntary movement, the possession of cells with noncellulose cell walls and specialized sense organs enabling rapid response to stimuli, and the ingestion of complex organic substances such as plants and other animalsRelated prefix: zoo-
any mammal, esp any mammal except man
a brutish person
facetious a person or thing (esp in the phrase no such animal)
Australian informal a very dirty car
adjective
of, relating to, or derived from animalsanimal products; an animal characteristic
of or relating to the physical needs or desires; carnal; sensual
Word Origin for animal
C14: from Latin animal (n), from animālis (adj) living, breathing; see anima
Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for animal
Any of the multicellular organisms belonging to the kingdom Animalia. All animals are eukaryotes, with each of their cells having a nucleus containing DNA. Most animals develop from a blastula and have a digestive tract, nervous system, the ability to move voluntarily, and specialized sensory organs for recognizing and responding to stimuli in the environment. Animals are heterotrophs, feeding on plants, other animals, or organic matter. The first animals probably evolved from protists and appeared during the Precambrian Era.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Quality and quantity, then, do not function like genera, for a genus is signified by any predicate that expresses what a subject is (e.g., in the sentence, ˜Man is an animal,™ ˜animal™ is the genus of man), and categories do not function in this way. ❋ Gracia, Jorge (2006)
Man, according to the old scholastic definition, is «a rational animal» (_animal rationale_), and his animality is distinct in nature from his rationality, though inseparably joined, during life, in one common personality. ❋ St. George Mivart (N/A)
I could make nothing of it and asked her again — «What _is_ deresf?» to which she gave the explanation: «ein tir.» (tier = animal) «_An animal_? but I don’t know the name! have you heard of it?» ❋ Henny Kindermann (N/A)
An attentive consideration will, however, show the enquirer, that to distinguish man from the remainder of the animal kingdom by his structural characteristics alone, is not so easy a task as would at first sight appear; and he will be obliged at length to return to some such humiliating designation of the _genus animal_, _species homo_, as those above given. ❋ Various (N/A)
Popanilla then went on to show that the hitherto received definitions of man were all erroneous; that man is neither a walking animal, nor a talking animal, nor a cooking animal, nor a lounging animal, nor a debt-incurring animal, nor a tax-paying animal, nor a printing animal, nor a puffing animal, but a _developing animal_. ❋ Various (1885)
It is from the superficial covering, the thin crust with which the earth is covered, composed of the remains of former existence, of the breccia of exhausted nature, that animal creation derives its support; and it is the grand axiom of the universe, that _animal life can only be supported by animal remains_. ❋ Frederick Marryat (1820)
Oh yeah the old human vs animal argument (humans are animals btw, scientists recognize this so we all should), i suppose you are the sort that says * its only an animal*. ❋ Unknown (2010)
«_hearing the animal speak within the animal_» (if I may so put it), rather than its «human connexion.» ❋ Henny Kindermann (N/A)
The non]violent religious practices of Vaishnavs (who did not practice animal sacrifice, for example) could meet the violence associated with Shakta mother]worship (animal]worship was almost mandatory in Shakta festivals) under the aegis of a new Hindu «wartime» philosophy. ❋ Tusar N Mohapatra (2008)
Rescue dogs come to us with blurry or non-existent histories, and it takes a practiced eye to figure out that a certain animal is food aggressive, or was used to free-feeding (having a full bowl provided every morning, and nibbling throughout the day), or that a jumping habit was taught rather than instinctive. ❋ Unknown (2009)
Later, while seeking a title that was more precisely evocative, I had a dream in which a book opened and across it was the title animal communication specialist. ❋ Penelope Smith (2009)
The title animal communicator is very obvious and straightforward, but it never struck me as inclusive enough. ❋ Penelope Smith (2009)
Any article intended for use as food for dogs, cats, or other animals derived wholly, or in part, from the carcass or parts or products of the carcass of any livestock, except that the term animal food as used herein does not include: ❋ Unknown (2008)
I’d always thought this, but didn’t think anyone else out there was sufficiently interested to bother writing about it: very likely, the word «leech» to describe the blood-sucking animal comes from the Old English word for «physician,» not the other way around. ❋ Richard Nokes (2006)
CNN’s Elizabeth Cohen found a place in San Diego County that gives new meaning to the term animal shelter. ❋ Unknown (2007)
The term animal is used in its proper scientific sense (comprising insects, molluscs, crustaceans, fish, etc.). ❋ A. W. Duncan (N/A)
Naughty Bear sets up the story, depicting the social slight that turns the title animal toward thoughts of revenge. ❋ Unknown (2010)
1, [ee] hes [an animal]
2, [oo] u ANIMAL!!
3, help!!, the animals got me ❋ Missfizzypill (2003)
[Hmmmm]…well if we’re not supposed to eat the animals, then [how come] they are made out of meat? (now replace «animals» by «[humans]» and see how it keeps the same meaning) ❋ FrenchLascar187 (2005)
Guy 1: Glen is eating that steak out of a cup with a [butterknife] only..
Guy 2: He just jammed [the who] thing in his mouth so he could keep playing [Dark Souls]..
Both: What an animal.. ❋ Demoplay (2011)
[That player] is [an animal] at [football]. ❋ Mark Keenan (2004)
wow he is such [an animal]!
yeah especially since he has new [girlfriend] [to show] off for ❋ BaBBii Gurll4xx (2010)
I love [animals] [because they can’t] [talk]. ❋ Frabrizio (2017)
1: «This [sandwich] is animal!»
2: «She is f**[king] animal!» ❋ Jaymaccool (2007)
Person 1: (pulls mad [trick] on his [board])
Person 2: [Animal], dude! ❋ Idahoboy (2006)
fricken loushman of a animal [peepee] cows and dogs!!! example freaking love it of a freaking [givener] penis of [a ryan] ❋ Loushman (2005)
«That guys got more hair then [a bear] what a animal.»
«You’re hairy like animal.»
«He’ll fuck any object that moves what a animal.»
«He [ate that] [hamburger] in one bite what a animal.» ❋ PotatoChip (2003)
an·i·mal
(ăn′ə-məl)
n.
1. Any of numerous multicellular eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Metazoa (or Animalia) that ingest food rather than manufacturing it themselves and are usually able to move about during at least part of their life cycle. Sponges, jellyfishes, flatworms, mollusks, arthropods, and vertebrates are animals.
2. An animal organism other than a human, especially a mammal.
3. A person who behaves in a bestial or brutish manner.
4. A human considered with respect to his or her physical nature, as opposed to rational or spiritual nature.
5. A person having a specified aptitude or set of interests: «that rarest of musical animals, an instrumentalist who is as comfortable on a podium with a stick as he is playing his instrument» (Lon Tuck).
adj.
1. Relating to, characteristic of, or derived from an animal or animals, especially when not human: animal cells; animal welfare.
2. Relating to the physical as distinct from the rational or spiritual nature of people: animal instincts and desires.
[Middle English, from Latin, from animāle, neuter of animālis, living, from anima, soul; see anə- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
animal
(ˈænɪməl)
n
1. (Zoology) zoology any living organism characterized by voluntary movement, the possession of cells with noncellulose cell walls and specialized sense organs enabling rapid response to stimuli, and the ingestion of complex organic substances such as plants and other animals.
2. any mammal, esp any mammal except man
3. a brutish person
4. facetious a person or thing (esp in the phrase no such animal)
5. (Automotive Engineering) informal Austral a very dirty car
adj
6. (Animals) of, relating to, or derived from animals: animal products; an animal characteristic.
7. of or relating to the physical needs or desires; carnal; sensual
[C14: from Latin animal (n), from animālis (adj) living, breathing; see anima]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
an•i•mal
(ˈæn ə məl)
n.
1. any member of the kingdom Animalia, comprising multicellular organisms that have a well-defined shape and usu. limited growth, can move voluntarily, actively acquire food and digest it internally, and have sensory and nervous systems that allow them to respond rapidly to stimuli.
2. any such living thing other than a human being.
3. a mammal, as opposed to a fish, bird, etc.
4. the physical or carnal nature of human beings; animality.
5. an inhuman person; brutish or beastlike person.
6. thing: A perfect job? Is there any such animal?
adj.
7. of, pertaining to, or derived from animals: animal fats.
8. pertaining to the physical or carnal nature of humans, rather than their spiritual or intellectual nature: animal needs.
[1300–50; < Latin, n. derivative of animāle, neuter of animālis living, animate =anim(a) air, breath + -ālis -al1]
an`i•mal′ic (-ˈmæl ɪk) an`i•ma′li•an (-ˈmeɪ li ən, -ˈmeɪl yən) adj.
an′i•mal•ly, adv.
Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
an·i·mal
(ăn′ə-məl)
Any of a wide variety of multicellular organisms, most of which have a digestive tract, a nervous system, the ability to move voluntarily, and specialized sensory organs for recognizing and responding to their environment. Animals cannot manufacture their own food and must feed on plants, other animals, or other organic matter. Animals are grouped as a separate kingdom in taxonomy.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun | 1. | animal — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
organism, being — a living thing that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function independently ritual killing, sacrifice — the act of killing (an animal or person) in order to propitiate a deity tracking, trailing — the pursuit (of a person or animal) by following tracks or marks they left behind pest — any unwanted and destructive insect or other animal that attacks food or crops or livestock etc.; «he sprayed the garden to get rid of pests»; «many pests have developed resistance to the common pesticides» critter — a regional term for `creature’ (especially for domestic animals) creepy-crawly — an animal that creeps or crawls (such as worms or spiders or insects) darter — a person or other animal that moves abruptly and rapidly; «squirrels are darters» peeper — an animal that makes short high-pitched sounds homeotherm, homoiotherm, homotherm — an animal that has a body temperature that is relatively constant and independent of the environmental temperature ectotherm, poikilotherm — an animal whose body temperature varies with the temperature of its surroundings; any animal except birds and mammals range animal — any animal that lives and grazes in the grassy open land of western North America (especially horses, cattle, sheep) varment, varmint — any usually predatory wild animal considered undesirable; e.g., coyote scavenger — any animal that feeds on refuse and other decaying organic matter work animal — an animal trained for and used for heavy labor feeder — an animal that feeds on a particular source of food; «a bark feeder»; «a mud feeder» migrator — an animal (especially birds and fish) that travels between different habitats at particular times of the year molter, moulter — an animal (especially birds and arthropods and reptiles) that periodically shed their outer layer (feathers or cuticle or skin or hair) pet — a domesticated animal kept for companionship or amusement stayer — a person or other animal having powers of endurance or perseverance; «the horse that won the race is a good stayer» stunt — a creature (especially a whale) that has been prevented from attaining full growth female — an animal that produces gametes (ova) that can be fertilized by male gametes (spermatozoa) male — an animal that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that can fertilize female gametes (ova) adult — any mature animal giant — any creature of exceptional size survivor — an animal that survives in spite of adversity; «only the fittest animals were survivors of the cold winters» mutant — an animal that has undergone mutation herbivore — any animal that feeds chiefly on grass and other plants; «horses are herbivores»; «the sauropod dinosaurs were apparently herbivores» insectivore — any organism that feeds mainly on insects acrodont — an animal having teeth consolidated with the summit of the alveolar ridge without sockets pleurodont — an animal having teeth fused with the inner surface of the alveolar ridge without sockets actinomycete — any bacteria (some of which are pathogenic for humans and animals) belonging to the order Actinomycetales zooplankton — animal constituent of plankton; mainly small crustaceans and fish larvae conceptus, fertilized egg, embryo — an animal organism in the early stages of growth and differentiation that in higher forms merge into fetal stages but in lower forms terminate in commencement of larval life chordate — any animal of the phylum Chordata having a notochord or spinal column invertebrate — any animal lacking a backbone or notochord; the term is not used as a scientific classification metazoan — any animal of the subkingdom Metazoa; all animals except protozoans and sponges omnivore — an animal that feeds on both animal and vegetable substances prey, quarry — animal hunted or caught for food game — animal hunted for food or sport |
Adj. | 1. | animal — marked by the appetites and passions of the body; «animal instincts»; «carnal knowledge»; «fleshly desire»; «a sensual delight in eating»; «music is the only sensual pleasure without vice»
physical — involving the body as distinguished from the mind or spirit; «physical exercise»; «physical suffering»; «was sloppy about everything but her physical appearance» |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
animal
noun
2. brute, devil, monster, savage, beast, bastard (informal, offensive), villain, barbarian, swine (informal), wild man He was an animal in his younger days.
see amphibians, birds, dinosaurs, fish, insects, invertebrates, mammals, reptiles
Quotations
«Animals, whom we have made our slaves, we do not like to consider our equal» [Charles Darwin]
Animals
Related words antformic assasinine bearursine beeapian birdavian or ornithic bulltaurine catfeline crabcancroid crowcorvine deercervine dogcanine dovecolumbine eagleaquiline elephantelephantine falconfalconine fishpiscine or icthyoid fowlgallinaceous foxvulpine goatcaprine or hircine gooseanserine or anserous gulllarine hareleporine hawkaccipitrine horseequine lionleonine lynxlyncean mite or tickacaroid monkeysimian oxbovine parrotpsittacine peacockpavonine pigporcine puffinalcidine sealphocine sheepovine snakeserpentine, anguine, ophidian, or colubrine swallowhirundine waspvespine wolflupine
Collective animals antelopesherd apesshrewdness assespace or herd badgerscete bearssloth beesswarm or grist birdsflock, congregation, flight, or volery bitternssedge or siege boarssounder bucksbrace or lease buffaloesherd capercailziestok catsclowder cattledrove or herd choughschattering coltsrag cootscovert cranesherd, sedge, or siege crowsmurder cubslitter curlewsherd curscowardice deerherd dolphinsschool dovesflight or dule duckspaddling or team dunlinsflight elkgang fishshoal, draught, haul, run, or catch fliesswarm or grist foxesskulk geesegaggle or skein giraffesherd gnatsswarm or cloud goatsherd or tribe goldfinchescharm grousebrood, covey, or pack gullscolony haresdown or husk hawkscast hensbrood heronssedge or siege herringsshoal or glean houndspack, mute, or cry insectsswarm kangaroostroop kittenskindle lapwingsdesert larksexaltation leopardsleap lionspride or troop mallardssord or sute maresstud martensrichesse moleslabour monkeystroop mulesbarren nightingaleswatch owlsparliament oxenyoke, drove, team, or herd partridgescovey peacocksmuster pheasantsnye or nide pigeonsflock or flight pigslitter ploversstand or wing pochardsflight, rush, bunch, or knob poniesherd porpoisesschool or gam poultryrun pupslitter quailsbevy rabbitsnest racehorsesfield or string ravensunkindness roesbevy rooksbuilding or clamour ruffshill sealsherd or pod sheepflock sheldrakesdopping snipewalk or wisp sparrowshost starlingsmurmuration swallowsflight swansherd or bevy swiftsflock swineherd, sounder, or dryft tealbunch, knob, or spring whalesschool, gam, or run whelpslitter whitingpod wigeonbunch, company, knob, or flight wildfowlplump, sord, or sute wolvespack, rout, or herd woodcocksfall
Habitations antant hill or formicary badgerset or sett beaverlodge beehive or apiary birdnest eagleaerie or eyrie fishredd foxearth otterholt pigsty puffinpuffinry rabbitwarren rookrookery sealsealery squirreldrey or dray termitetermitarium waspvespiary or bike
Male assjack birdcock cattom deerhart or stag donkeyjack duckdrake elephantbull falcontercel or tiercel ferrethob fowlcock foxdog goatbilly or buck goosegander harebuck horsestallion kangaroobuck or old man lobstercock oxbull peafowlpeacock pigboar rabbitbuck reindeerbuck ruffruff sheepram or tup swancob weaselwhittret whalebull
Female assjenny birdhen cattabby deerdoe or hind dogbitch donkeyjenny elephantcow ferretgill or jill fowlhen foxvixen goatnanny haredoe horsemare leopardleopardess lionlioness lobsterhen minksow oxcow peafowlpeahen pigsow rabbitdoe ruffreeve sheepewe swanpen tigertigress whalecow wolfbitch wrenjenny
Young bearcub birdchick, fledg(e)ling, or nestling butterflycaterpillar, chrysalis, or chrysalid catkitten codcodling deerfawn dogpup or puppy duckduckling eagleeaglet eelelver or grig elephantcalf falconeyas ferretkit fishfry or fingerling frogtadpole foxkit or cub goatkid or yeanling goosegosling hareleveret herringalevin, brit, or sparling horsefoal, colt, or filly kangaroojoey lioncub mothcaterpillar owlowlet oxcalf pigpiglet pigeonsquab salmonalevin, grilse, parr, or smolt sealpup sheeplamb or yeanling spratbrit swancygnet tigercub toadtadpole whalecalf wolfcub or whelp
Mammals
Birds
Amphibians
Reptiles
Dinosaurs
Fish
Insects
Invertebrates
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
animal
adjective
Relating to the desires and appetites of the body:
The American Heritage® Roget’s Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
حَيَوانمَخْلُوق حَيَوانيحيوان
животинскиживотно
zvířezvířecíživočich
dyrdyrisk
animalobesto
loom
حیوان
eläinelukkaeläimellinen
životinjaživotinjskizvijeranimalan
állatállatiélõlénylelki
binatanghewan
dýrdÿrdýrslegdýrslegtdýrslegur
動物
동물
animalanimaleanimalisbestia
gyvūnasplėšrūnasgyvuliųgyvulys
dzīvnieksdzīvnieku-dzīvniecisks
animalfiarăsălbatic
živočích
živalzver
djurdjuriskbest
สัตว์
động vật
Collins Spanish Dictionary — Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
animal
[ˈænɪməl]
n
(fig) (pejorative) (= person) → brute f
(fig) (= creature) a different animal → une espèce d’un autre type party animal
modif
(from animals) [fat, protein, product] → animal(e)
(for animals) [feed] → pour animaux; [shelter, sanctuary] → pour animaux
(involving animals) [cruelty] → sur les animaux
the animal kingdom → le règne animal animal lover, animal welfare
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
animal
animal
:
Animal Liberation Front
n (Brit) militante Tierschützerorganisation
animal meal
n → Tiermehl f
animal rights
pl → der Tierschutz, Tierrechte pl; animal activist/campaigner → Tierschützer(in) m(f), → Tierrechtler(in) m(f)
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
animal
(ˈӕniməl) noun
1. a living being which can feel things and move freely. man and other animals.
2. an animal other than man. a book on man’s attitude to animals; (also adjective) animal behaviour.
animal eater
an animal that eats only other animals. Tigers and lions are animal eaters.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
animal
→ حَيَوان zvíře dyr Tier ζώο animal eläin animal životinja animale 動物 동물 dier dyr zwierzę animal животное djur สัตว์ hayvan động vật 动物
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
animal
adj & n animal m; companion — animal de compañía; service — animal de servicio
English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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