An animal is a living creature such as a dog, lion, or rabbit, rather than a bird, fish, insect, or human being.
He was attacked by wild animals.
He had a real knowledge of animals, birds and flowers.
Synonyms: creature, beast, brute More Synonyms of animal
2. countable noun
Any living creature other than a human being can be referred to as an animal.
Language is something which fundamentally distinguishes humans from animals.
...a habitat for plants and animals.
3. countable noun
Any living creature, including a human being, can be referred to as an animal.
Watch any young human being, or any other young animal.
4. adjective
Animal products come from animals rather than from plants.
The illegal trade in animal products continues to flourish.
Cut down on animal fats found in red meat, hard cheeses and so on.
5. countable noun
If you say that someone is an animal, you find their behaviour disgusting or very unpleasant.
[disapproval]
This man is an animal, a beast.
He was an animal in his younger days.
Synonyms: brute, devil, monster, savage More Synonyms of animal
6. adjective
Animal qualities, feelings, or abilities relate to someone's physical nature and instincts rather than to their mind.
There was no doubting the animal magnetism of the man.
You feel an animal panic to run and hide.
7. countable noun [supplement NOUN]
You can refer to someone as a particular type of animal in order to say what their interests are or what their typical behaviour is.
You're quite a party animal aren't you, out there every night.
The entrepreneur at twenty-five is a different animal from the entrepreneur at fifty.
More Synonyms of animal
animal in British English
(ˈænɪməl)
noun
1. 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
▶ Related prefix: zoo-
2.
any mammal, esp any mammal other than a human
3.
a brutish person
4. facetious
a person or thing (esp in the phrase no such animal)
5. Australian informal
a very dirty car
adjective
6.
of, relating to, or derived from animals
animal products
an animal characteristic
7.
of or relating to the physical needs or desires; carnal; sensual
Word origin
C14: from Latin animal (n), from animālis (adj) living, breathing; see anima
animal in American English
(ˈænɪməl)
noun
1.
any of a kingdom (Animalia) of eukaryotes generally characterized by a multicellular body, the ability to move quickly and obtain food, specialized sense organs, andsexual reproduction
2.
any such organism other than a human being, esp. a mammal or, often, any four-footedcreature
3.
a brutish, debased, or inhuman person
4. Informal
a person, thing, concept, etc. thought of as a kind or type
today's athlete is another animal altogether
adjective
5.
of, like, or derived from animals
6.
physical rather than mental or spiritual; specif., sensual, gross, bestial, etc.
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈcarnal
Idioms:
the animal
Derived forms
animally (ˈanimally)
adverb
Word origin
L, living being < anima, animus, breath, air, life principle, soul < IE base *an(e)-, to breathe, exhale > Gr anemos, Sans anilas, wind, breath, OE antha, excitement, anger
COBUILD Collocations
animal
circus animal
dangerous animal
exotic animal
furry animal
zoo animal
Examples of 'animal' in a sentence
animal
She was also a vegetarian and campaigner for animal rights.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
They wait until an animal or person brushes past then climb on and bite the skin.
The Sun (2016)
Nature and animals are pretty predictable.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
The animal released the dog and he realised that it was a cougar, or mountain lion.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Strictly is a completely different animal, more like a contented domestic pussycat than a fierce wild tiger.
The Sun (2016)
If you confine healthy, young human animals in a dreary urban cage, it is a matter for joy when they turn it into a playground.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
In so doing, he is at pains to defend an approach to animal behaviour that is willing to explain animals' actions in terms of their thoughts.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Different animals have different strengths and weaknesses.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
She was a vegetarian and campaigned for animal rights.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
To kill animals for meat represents such an unnecessary taking of life.
Crowley, Vivianne Phoenix From the Flame (1994)
We would rather put an animal down prematurely than have it suffering.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Dogs or other animals are not permitted on any walk unless otherwise specified.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
No reasonable person wants animals to suffer.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Without this protective blanket the ultraviolet radiation would be very harmful indeed to human and animal health.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Wild animals must rescue their dog friend from a gang of pets.
The Sun (2013)
So many farm animals bred and born.
Tepper, Sheri S. A Plague of Angels (1993)
Jets and helicopters have killed hundreds of birds and animals and damaged property.
The Sun (2008)
There are fears the same animal killed a man who vanished in the area days earlier.
The Sun (2013)
AThe answer lies in the way different animals see colours.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Animal rights activists clashed with the hunters and used boats and helicopters to film the killing.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Man is by nature a social animal.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
People are more inclined to treat their animals rather than put them to sleep and replace them.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
And they should focus as much on the lives of animals reared for meat as on their deaths.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The worst owners would be banned for life from keeping a dog and unruly animals would be destroyed.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Most of them are of birds, fish and animals on the move.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
That's the trouble with my raw animal magnetism.
The Sun (2013)
It is feared millions of birds, fish and other animals could die.
The Sun (2010)
A man is in intensive care after he inhaled anthrax spores from imported animal hides that were to be made into drums.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Quotations
The best thing about animals is that they don't talk muchThornton WilderThe Skin of Our Teeth
If I could do anything about the way people behave towards each other, I would, but since I can't I'll stick to the animalsBrigitte Bardot
It's almost as if we're put here on earth to show how silly [animals] aren'tRussell HobanTurtle Diary
In other languages
animal
British English: animal /ˈænɪməl/ NOUN
Any living creature other than a human being can be referred to as an animal.
He was attacked by wild animals.
American English: animal
Arabic: حَيَوان
Brazilian Portuguese: animal
Chinese: 动物
Croatian: životinja
Czech: zvíře
Danish: dyr levende væsen
Dutch: dier
European Spanish: animal
Finnish: eläin
French: animal
German: Tier
Greek: ζώο
Italian: animale
Japanese: 動物
Korean: 동물
Norwegian: dyr
Polish: zwierzę
European Portuguese: animal
Romanian: animal
Russian: животное
Latin American Spanish: animal
Swedish: djur
Thai: สัตว์
Turkish: hayvan
Ukrainian: тварина
Vietnamese: động vật
All related terms of 'animal'
animal fat
any fat obtained from animals
animal heat
heat produced in the body of an animal by chemical changes that occur when food is assimilated
animal park
a zoo in which wild animals are housed and displayed in large open spaces designed to resemble their native habitats
farm animal
an animal that is reared on a farm
pack animal
A pack animal is an animal such as a horse or donkey that is used to carry things on journeys .
the animal
animal nature; animality
zoo animal
An animal is a living creature such as a dog , lion , or rabbit , rather than a bird, fish, insect , or human being.
animal health
A person's health is the condition of their body and the extent to which it is free from illness or is able to resist illness.
animal lover
a person who feels fondness for animals
animal rights
People who are concerned with animal rights believe very strongly that animals should not be exploited or harmed by humans.
animal starch
a polysaccharide consisting of glucose units: the form in which carbohydrate is stored in the liver and muscles in humans and animals. It can easily be hydrolysed to glucose
circus animal
An animal is a living creature such as a dog , lion , or rabbit , rather than a bird, fish, insect, or human being.
exotic animal
An animal is a living creature such as a dog , lion , or rabbit , rather than a bird, fish, insect, or human being.
furry animal
An animal is a living creature such as a dog, lion , or rabbit , rather than a bird, fish, insect, or human being.
party animal
a person who loves parties
animal charity
A charity is an organization which raises money in order to help people who are sick or very poor, or who have a disability .
animal cracker
a sweet or savoury biscuit in the shape of an animal
animal hospital
A hospital is a place where people who are ill are looked after by nurses and doctors .
animal instinct
Instinct is the natural tendency that a person or animal has to behave or react in a particular way.
animal kingdom
a category of living organisms comprising all animals
animal research
Research is work that involves studying something and trying to discover facts about it.
animal shelter
an establishment , esp. one supported by charitable contributions , that provides a temporary home for dogs , cats , and other animals that are offered for adoption
animal spirits
cheerful and exuberant boisterousness
animal testing
Animal testing involves doing scientific tests on animals when developing new products or drugs .
animal welfare
the protection of the health and well-being of animals
colonial animal
→ compound animal
compound animal
any animal, such as most hydroids , corals , and bryozoans , composed of a number of individuals produced by budding from a single parent and usually so fused together that no demarcation is clearly distinguishable
domestic animal
an animal, as the horse or cat , that has been tamed and kept by humans as a work animal, food source, or pet , esp. a member of those species that have, through selective breeding , become notably different from their wild ancestors
sentinel animal
an animal that is placed in a given environment and then monitored to find out if an infectious disease or other harmful agent is present in that environment
stuffed animal
Stuffed animals are toys that are made of cloth filled with a soft material and which look like animals.
animal experiment
an experiment involving non-human animals
animal husbandry
the science of breeding, rearing , and caring for farm animals
animal magnetism
the quality of being sexually attractive
animal sanctuary
a place where animals are brought to live and be protected
companion animal
an animal kept as a pet
dangerous animal
An animal is a living creature such as a dog, lion , or rabbit , rather than a bird, fish, insect, or human being.
animal experimentation
experimentation involving non-human animals
animal liberationist
a person who campaigns for animal rights , often by using direct action
Animal Liberation Front
an animal-rights movement founded in Britain , often using direct action
animal rights campaigner
a person who campaigns for the rights of animals to be protected from exploitation and abuse by humans
animal rights movement
a group of people who campaign for the rights of animals to be protected from exploitation and abuse by humans
animal welfare charity
A charity is an organization which raises money in order to help people who are sick or very poor, or who have a disability .
wheel animalcule
→ rotifer
glycogen
a polysaccharide consisting of glucose units: the form in which carbohydrate is stored in the liver and muscles in humans and animals. It can easily be hydrolysed to glucose
Chinese translation of 'animal'
animal
(ˈænɪməl)
n(c)
(= creature) 动(動)物 (dòngwù) (只, zhī)
(= type of person) 与(與)众(眾)不同的人 (yǔzhòng bùtóng de rén) (个(個), gè)
Many cultures believe that every living creature possesses a spirit.
beast
the threats our ancestors faced from wild beasts
brute
a big brute of a dog
2 (noun)
Definition
a cruel or coarse person
Desperation can turn people into absolute animals.
Synonyms
brute
an unpleasant brute
devil
the savage devils who mugged me
monster
You make me sound like an absolute monster!
savage
The kids in the orchestra are a right bunch of savages!
beast
He is an absolute beast in terms of his will to win.
bastard (informal, offensive)
I don't trust the bastard.
villain
barbarian
Our maths teacher was a bully and a complete barbarian.
swine (informal)
wild person
(adjective)
Definition
of or relating to physical needs or desires
the animal side of human nature
Synonyms
physical
gross
fleshly
bodily
There's more to eating than just bodily needs.
sensual
sensual pleasure
carnal
Their passion became inflamed and their carnal desires ran wild.
brutish
The man was brutish and coarse.
bestial
the bestial conditions into which the city has sunk
animalistic
related words
related prefixzoo-
related maniaszoomaniazoophilia
related enthusiastzoophile
related phobiazoophobia
see also subject word lists:
See AmphibiansSee Anteaters and other edentatesSee BatsSee BirdsSee CarnivoresSee CattleSee DinosaursSee FishSee HorsesSee InsectsSee InvertebratesSee MarsupialsSee Monkeys, apes and other primatesSee Rabbits and haresSee ReptilesSee RodentsSee Sea mammalsSee Shrews and other insectivores
subject word lists
See related adjectivesSee collective nounsSee homes and habitationsSee male animalsSee female animalsSee baby and young animals
Quotations
The best thing about animals is that they don't talk much [Thornton Wilder – The Skin of Our Teeth]If I could do anything about the way people behave towards each other, I would, but since I can't I'll stick to the animals [Brigitte Bardot]It's almost as if we're put here on earth to show how silly [animals] aren't [Russell Hoban – Turtle Diary]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of barbarian
Our maths teacher was a bully and a complete barbarian.
Synonyms
savage,
monster,
beast,
brute,
yahoo,
swine,
ogre,
sadist
in the sense of beast
Definition
a large wild animal
the threats our ancestors faced from wild beasts
Synonyms
animal,
creature,
brute
in the sense of beast
Definition
a brutal or uncivilized person
He is an absolute beast in terms of his will to win.