You can refer to any living thing that is not a plant as a creature, especially when it is of an unknown or unfamiliar kind. People also refer to imaginary animals and beings as creatures.
Alaskan Eskimos believe that every living creature possesses a spirit.
The garden is surrounded by a hedge in which many small creatures can live.
They have been visited by creatures from outer space.
Synonyms: living thing, being, animal, beast More Synonyms of creature
2. countable noun
If you say that someone is a particular type of creature, you are focusing on a particular quality they have.
She's charming, a sweet creature.
I am not a vain creature.
She was a creature of the emotions, rather than reason. [+ of]
3. a creature of habit
4. countable noun [with poss]
If you describe someone as someone else's creature, you mean that they are controlled by or depend on that person.
[disapproval]
We are not creatures of the Conservative government.
Synonyms: minion, tool, instrument [informal], puppet More Synonyms of creature
More Synonyms of creature
creature in British English
(ˈkriːtʃə)
noun
1.
a living being, esp an animal
2.
something that has been created, whether animate or inanimate
a creature of the imagination
3.
a human being; person: used as a term of scorn, pity, or endearment
4.
a person who is dependent upon another; tool or puppet
Derived forms
creatural (ˈcreatural) or creaturely (ˈcreaturely)
adjective
creatureliness (ˈcreatureliness)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Church Latin crēatūra, from Latin crēare to create
creature in American English
(ˈkritʃər)
noun
1.
anything created, animate or inanimate
2.
an animate or living being
; esp.,
a. US Chiefly Dialectal
a domestic animal, specif. a horse
b.
a human being
often used in a patronizing, contemptuous, commiserating, or endearing sense
c.
a strange or imaginary being
3.
one completely dominated by another or dependent on another
Idioms:
the creature
Derived forms
creatural (ˈcreatural)
adjective or ˈcreaturely
Word origin
OFr < L creatura
More idioms containing
creature
creature comforts
COBUILD Collocations
creature
elusive creature
exotic creature
sea creature
strange creature
tiny creature
Examples of 'creature' in a sentence
creature
Friendship is the theme as the spy animals learn how creatures in the wild look out for each other.
The Sun (2017)
Regardless of the infinite diversity of the human creature, each episode follows the same satisfying arc.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
These creatures may live in freezing places, but they look very cute doing it.
The Sun (2016)
But many creatures besides humans have thrived without them and continue to do just fine, thank you very much.
Smithsonian Mag (2017)
They are rather sinister creatures that like to stalk their prey as it dies a slow, lingering death from septicaemia caused by their vicious bite.
The Sun (2016)
Humans are visual creatures.
Smithsonian Mag (2017)
Would you like creatures of the animal kingdom?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Most people regard great white sharks as creatures to avoid rather than pursue.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Here we discover why the idyllic islands are perfect places to live for these creatures.
The Sun (2012)
Humans are creatures of habit and investors tend to follow buying and selling patterns.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
This show reunites animal keepers with creatures they looked after before releasing them into the wild.
The Sun (2016)
These creatures can also demand names and addresses from decent citizens.
The Sun (2008)
Illegal trade in other creatures is also rising.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But the plots also feature fantastical creatures and mythical locations.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
For example, are sounds creatures of space?
The Times Literary Supplement (2010)
Did space creatures land at a London school?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The complications are considerable, because the wildest creatures live in the wildest places.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
We are sociable creatures, we humans.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The human creature is a cathedral; not a shack.
Christianity Today (2000)
These are the most elegant, gentle creatures in the animal kingdom.
The Sun (2012)
Like many other creatures, humans are social animals.
Sanderson, Stephen K. Macrosociology: An Introduction to Human Societies (1995)
The creatures had lived once.
Tepper, Sheri S. A Plague of Angels (1993)
What could become obvious in Brighton in the coming days is that the number of these poor creatures is actually rather higher.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The evolutionary phenomenon happens when an animal or plant resembles another creature or object, either to stave off predators or gain other advantages.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
More plants and creatures are dependent on the oak than any other tree in the UK.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This work was in many ways definitive, albeit that her subject was presented first and foremost as a creature of politics rather than the flesh.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It is quite a big commitment - the creatures can live for up to 80 years.
The Sun (2010)
So all the little green space creatures spent their whole time feeling sad because they weren't tall, thin and yellow.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
creature
British English: creature /ˈkriːtʃə/ NOUN
You can refer to any living thing that is not a plant as a creature.
Like all living creatures, birds need a good supply of water.
American English: creature
Arabic: مَخْلُوق
Brazilian Portuguese: criatura
Chinese: 动物
Croatian: stvor
Czech: tvor
Danish: skabning
Dutch: wezen
European Spanish: criatura
Finnish: olento
French: créature
German: Geschöpf
Greek: πλάσμα
Italian: creatura
Japanese: 生き物
Korean: 피조물
Norwegian: skapning
Polish: stworzenie
European Portuguese: criatura
Romanian: creatură
Russian: животное
Latin American Spanish: criatura
Swedish: varelse
Thai: สิ่งมีชีวิต
Turkish: yaratık
Ukrainian: істота
Vietnamese: sinh vật
All related terms of 'creature'
sea creature
You can refer to any living thing that is not a plant as a creature , especially when it is of an unknown or unfamiliar kind. People also refer to imaginary animals and beings as creatures .
the creature
whiskey or other intoxicating liquor
tiny creature
You can refer to any living thing that is not a plant as a creature , especially when it is of an unknown or unfamiliar kind. People also refer to imaginary animals and beings as creatures .
exotic creature
You can refer to any living thing that is not a plant as a creature , especially when it is of an unknown or unfamiliar kind. People also refer to imaginary animals and beings as creatures .
fellow creature
a person or animal considered as being similar or related to yourself
creature comfort
anything providing bodily comfort , as food, clothing, or shelter
creature comforts
Creature comforts are the things that you need to feel comfortable in a place, for example good food and modern equipment .
creature feature
a horror film featuring a monster
elusive creature
You can refer to any living thing that is not a plant as a creature , especially when it is of an unknown or unfamiliar kind. People also refer to imaginary animals and beings as creatures .
strange creature
You can refer to any living thing that is not a plant as a creature , especially when it is of an unknown or unfamiliar kind. People also refer to imaginary animals and beings as creatures .
creature of habit
If you say that someone is a creature of habit , you mean that they usually do the same thing at the same time each day , rather than doing new and different things.
a creature of habit
If you say that someone is a creature of habit , you mean that they usually do the same thing at the same time each day, rather than doing new and different things.
Chinese translation of 'creature'
creature
(ˈkriːtʃəʳ)
n(c)
(= animal) 动(動)物 (dòngwù) (种(種), zhǒng)
(= person) 人 (rén)
1 (noun)
Definition
an animal, bird, or fish
Many cultures believe that every living creature possesses a spirit.
Synonyms
living thing
being
beings from outer space
animal
I was attacked by wild animals.
beast
the threats our ancestors faced from wild beasts
brute
a big brute of a dog
critter (US, dialect)
quadruped
dumb animal
lower animal
2 (noun)
Definition
a person
He is one of the most amiable creatures in existence.
Synonyms
person
Sam's the only person who can do the job.
man
a possible step to sending a man back to the moon
woman
individual
the rights and responsibilities of the individual
character (informal)
What an unpleasant character he is!
fellow (old-fashioned)
He appeared to be a fine fellow.
soul
a tiny village of only 100 souls
human being
not to hear a fellow human being's voice
mortal
impossible needs for any mere mortal to meet
body (informal)
wight (archaic)
3 (noun)
Definition
a person or thing controlled by another
We are not merely creatures of our employers.
Synonyms
minion
She delegated the job to one of her minions.
tool
He became the tool of the security services.
instrument (informal)
The Council was an instrument of Government.
puppet
The ministers have denied that they are puppets of a foreign government.
cohort mainly US)
dependant
They raise funds to help ex-service personnel and their dependants.
retainer
the ever-faithful family retainer
hanger-on
five thousand delegates, with 30,000 assorted hangers-on
lackey
I'm not staying as a paid lackey to act as your yes-man.