creature

1 of 2

noun (1)

crea·​ture ˈkrē-chər 

1

: something created either animate or inanimate: such as

a

: an animal that is not a human being

wild creatures of the forest

b

: a human being

He's a social creature.

The poor creature has had a hard life.

I'm a creature of habit; I like my routine.

c

: a being of anomalous or uncertain aspect or nature

creatures of fantasy

2

: one that is the servile dependent or tool of another : instrument

creatural

ˈkrē-chə-rəl 

adjective

creaturehood

ˈkrē-chər-ˌhu̇d 

noun

creatureliness

ˈkrē-chər-lē-nəs 

noun

creaturely

ˈkrē-chər-lē 

adjective

creatureliness

2 of 2

noun (2)

crea·​ture·​li·​ness ˈkrē-chər-lē-nəs 

plural -es

: the quality or state of being a creature especially in sharing kinship with the animals

Synonyms of creature

Noun (1)

• animal

Examples of creature in a Sentence

Noun (1)

rabbits, squirrels, and other furry creatures

Few living creatures can survive without water.

a giant hairy apelike creature

She's a creature of rare beauty.

A social creature by nature, he loves working with people.

The poor creature had no way to get home.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The exhibition puts designer Pierre-Olivier Persin’s bust of the creature alongside the syringes, vials and other medical paraphernalia from the mysterious Substance kit that sets the movie’s nightmare in motion. — Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

One of the villain’s henchmen was a small, shaggy blue creature with a long drooping snout and a sour expression that lived in a cigar box. — Niranjana Rajalakshmi, Popular Science, 24 Sep. 2026

Andie is a creature of pure ambition and nearly blank morality, a sweatshirt-wearing, 2000s-era daughter of Lady Macbeth and Faye Dunaway in Network, though Wever purposefully didn’t revisit that film to keep her own performance distinct. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026

The shy, nocturnal creatures seem to be staying high in the canopy rather than coming down to feed, but then one of the rangers asks us to follow them as quickly and quietly as possible. — Claire Turrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Late Latin creātūra "act of bringing into being, something brought into being," from Latin creātus, past participle of creāre "to beget, give birth to, create entry 1" + -ūra

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing creature

• creature comfort

Rhymes for creature

• bleacher
• feature
• preacher
• reacher
• teacher
• schoolteacher

Kids Definition

creature

noun

crea·​ture ˈkrē-chər 

1

: a created being

2

a

: a lower animal

b

: individual sense 2