Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

animal

noun
an·​i·​mal | \ ˈa-nə-məl How to pronounce animal (audio) \

Definition of animal

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : any of a kingdom (Animalia) of living things including many-celled organisms and often many of the single-celled ones (such as protozoans) that typically differ from plants in having cells without cellulose walls, in lacking chlorophyll and the capacity for photosynthesis, in requiring more complex food materials (such as proteins), in being organized to a greater degree of complexity, and in having the capacity for spontaneous movement and rapid motor responses to stimulation
2a : one of the lower animals (see lower entry 3 sense 3) as distinguished from human beings
b : mammal broadly : vertebrate
3 : a human being considered chiefly as physical or nonrational also : this nature
4 : a person with a particular interest or aptitude a political animal He's a party animal.
5 : matter, thing the theater … is an entirely different animal— Arthur Miller also : creature sense 1c

animal

adjective

Definition of animal (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : of, relating to, resembling, or derived from animals animal instincts animal behavior
2a : of or relating to the physical or sentient as contrasted with the intellectual or rational
b : sensual, fleshly indulged his animal appetites
3 : of or relating to the animal pole of an egg or to the part from which ectoderm normally develops
Other Words from animal Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about animal

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from animal

Noun

animallike \ ˈa-​nə-​mə(l)-​ˌlīk How to pronounce animallike (audio) \ adjective

Adjective

animally \ ˈa-​nə-​mə-​lē How to pronounce animally (audio) \ adverb

Synonyms & Antonyms for animal

Synonyms: Noun

beast, beastie, brute, creature, critter

Synonyms: Adjective

bodily, carnal, corporal, corporeal, fleshly, material, physical, somatic

Antonyms: Adjective

nonmaterial, nonphysical

Visit the Thesaurus for More 

Choose the Right Synonym for animal

Adjective

carnal, fleshly, sensual, animal mean having a relation to the body. carnal may mean only this but more often connotes derogatorily an action or manifestation of a person's lower nature. a slave to carnal desires fleshly is less derogatory than carnal. a saint who had experienced fleshly temptations sensual may apply to any gratification of a bodily desire or pleasure but commonly implies sexual appetite with absence of the spiritual or intellectual. fleshpots providing sensual delights animal stresses the physical as distinguished from the rational nature of a person. led a mindless animal existence

Did You Know?

Latin anima means “breath” or “soul,” and animalis, the adjective that comes from it, means “having breath or soul.” An animal such as a cat or dog can be seen to breathe. Plants breathe too, by taking in certain gases from the atmosphere and releasing others. However, this process cannot be observed by the naked eye. So the noun animal, which comes from animalis, was borrowed from Latin for that group of living beings that breathe visibly.

Examples of animal in a Sentence

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: Noun

 For example, mistletoe berries can kill an animal with just one or two bites, lilies can cause kidney failure and excess urination, and holly will have your pet with symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain. — Elizabeth Gulino, House Beautiful, "These Are The Most Pet-Friendly Plants For Your Home," 6 Mar. 2019 In a sly side story, three animals that have been observing the cavemen recognize the vehicular potential of the new shapes and put them to use. — Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, "Children’s Books: The Travails and Triumphs of Derring-Do," 22 Feb. 2019 Joy can also be heard defending Meghan, repeatedly saying that the word also refers to an animal. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "'The View' Star Meghan McCain Snapped at Producers After Getting in Trouble for Swearing," 14 Jan. 2019 Where else can kids visit a new Revolutionary War museum, splash in a historic fountain, and gush over animals at our country’s oldest zoo? — Megan Barber, Curbed, "The best things to do with kids in 13 U.S. cities," 20 Nov. 2018 The real surprise was the proportion of the Iceman’s stomach contents that was animal fat—46% by weight. — The Economist, "A mummy’s final meal adds to an ancient mystery," 12 July 2018 Dozens of neglected and abandoned animals being cared for at the Houston SPCA need a home. — Staff Reports, Houston Chronicle, "Pet of the Week: Here are the Houston SPCA animals that need homes now," 12 July 2018 Debbie Helsel, Shannon Ruby Julien and Rachael Curran discuss how the public could work together to protect animals in need. — Hal Boedeker, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Casey Anthony: Bill Sheaffer looks back for WFTV," 11 July 2018 There will also be some new animals, including a flamingo, sloth, otter, and an adorable service dog. — Carolyn Twersky, Seventeen, "These New 2019 Emojis Are Super Inclusive and Your Group Text Will Appreciate It," 6 Feb. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

 Many if not most animal activists focus on factory farming, which is undoubtedly a huge problem, killing about 9.2 billion animals in the US in 2015 alone. — Dylan Matthews, Vox, "How to be a better carnivore," 14 Nov. 2018 Looking to eat less animal protein, but beans produce too much gas for your comfort? — SELF, "Why This Registered Dietitian Tells (Some of) Her Patients to Avoid Kale Salads," 30 Nov. 2018 She was also fitted with a satellite tag so animal rescuers can monitor her. — Gabrielle Russon, OrlandoSentinel.com, "SeaWorld: Good news animal story — 'Sharkie' the dolphin set free," 2 July 2018 The portal includes articles from the dozen or so animal advocacy groups TripAdvisor consulted with when first introducing its new policy. — Nancy Trejos, USA TODAY, "Animal welfare for travelers: How to enjoy wildlife without harming it," 27 Apr. 2018 These private groups showcase more than just animal parts. — Issie Lapowsky, WIRED, "Tusks, Horns, and Claws: The Fight to Dismantle the Facebook Animal Parts Bazaar," 5 June 2018 So mushrooms are messing with our minds and probably animal minds. — Recode Staff, Recode, "Full transcript: Author Michael Pollan on Recode Decode," 22 May 2018 Most are animal studies; human studies typically have small sample sizes of fewer than 25 people. — Anne Marie Chaker, WSJ, "Collagen, a Wrinkle-Cream Staple, Catches On in Foods," 14 May 2018 The law also doesn't cover animal races, such as horse racing, which many states already allow. — Associated Press, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Supreme Court ruling clears way for legalized sports betting," 14 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'animal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of animal

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for animal

Noun and Adjective

Latin, from animale, neuter of animalis animate, from anima soul — more at animate

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about animal

Statistics for animal

Last Updated

13 Mar 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for animal

The first known use of animal was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for animal

animal

noun
How to pronounce animal (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of animal

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: a living thing that is not a human being or plant
: any living thing that is not a plant
: a person who behaves in a wild, aggressive, or unpleasant way

animal

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of animal (Entry 2 of 2)

: of or relating to animals
: coming from the bodies of animals
: of or relating to the body and not to the mind

See the full definition for animal in the English Language Learners Dictionary

animal

noun
an·​i·​mal | \ ˈa-nə-məl How to pronounce animal (audio) \

Kids Definition of animal

1 : any member of the kingdom of living things (as earthworms, crabs, birds, and people) that differ from plants typically in being able to move about, in not having cell walls made of cellulose, and in depending on plants and other animals as sources of food
2 : any of the animals lower than humans in the natural order the animals in the zoo
3 : mammal the birds and animals of the forest

animal

noun
an·​i·​mal | \ ˈan-ə-məl How to pronounce animal (audio) \

Medical Definition of animal

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : any of a kingdom (Animalia) of living things including many-celled organisms and often many of the single-celled ones (as protozoans) that typically differ from plants in having cells without cellulose walls, in lacking chlorophyll and the capacity for photosynthesis, in requiring more complex food materials (as proteins), in being organized to a greater degree of complexity, and in having the capacity for spontaneous movement and rapid motor response to stimulation
2a : one of the lower animals as distinguished from human beings
b : mammal broadly : vertebrate

animal

adjective

Medical Definition of animal (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : of, relating to, or derived from animals
2 : of or relating to the animal pole of an egg or to the part from which ectoderm normally develops

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on animal

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for animal

Spanish Central: Translation of animal

Nglish: Translation of animal for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of animal for Arabic Speakers

Comments on animal

What made you want to look up animal? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

hamartia

Listen to the pronounciation of hamartia

a flaw that causes the downfall of a hero

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

A Green Quiz

  • shamrock
  • What is the best definition of green-eyed monster?
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Dictionary Devil

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

TRENDING NOW

  1. mendacious, mendacity George Conway calls Trump a liar

  2. crawdad New novel makes waves

  3. non sequitur, sequitur Manafort judge addresses defense

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games