animal
noun
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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
adjectiveDefinition of animal (Entry 2 of 2)
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Other Words from animal
Noun
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adjective
Adjective
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adverb
Synonyms & Antonyms for animal
Synonyms: Noun
beast, beastie, brute, creature, critter
Synonyms: Adjective
bodily, carnal, corporal, corporeal, fleshly, material, physical, somatic
Antonyms: Adjective
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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.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
China has fewer restrictions on the use of lab animals. — Christina Larson, The Seattle Times, "Gene-editing Chinese scientist kept much of his work secret," 28 Nov. 2018 Ever since its debut in 1924, the holiday event has evolved from a two-block procession of circus animals into what is easily our favorite over-the-top spectacular of the year (take that, Super Bowl Halftime Show). — Caitlin Morton, Condé Nast Traveler, "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: 2018 Information and Event History," 21 Nov. 2018 The collagen is found in the bone and tissues of these animals. — Kaleigh Fasanella, Allure, "The Truth About Drinking Collagen Supplements for Better Skin," 14 Sep. 2018 But with Hurricane Florence charging toward the coast, many people are worried about the fate of the animals. — Jennifer Aldrich, Country Living, "Will North Carolina's Famous Wild Horses Survive Hurricane Florence?," 13 Sep. 2018 Black vultures survive, like most vultures do, by eating carrion — the remains of dead animals. — Jordyn Hermani, Indianapolis Star, "Black vultures are eating cows alive. But it's difficult to legally kill the birds.," 13 July 2018 One of Janet's great loves was her love of animals, having always taken care of cats over the decades of her life. — Hartford Courant, courant.com, "Janet A. Richardson," 13 July 2018 Instead, the team wanted to bring some order to the classification of these animals. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "Two New Yellow-Bellied Bats May Have Been Found in Kenya," 13 July 2018 A few years ago, when data from testing chemicals on thousands of animals were made public, a team of toxicologists and computer wizards noticed something alarming. — Eric Boodman, STAT, "Computers may surpass rabbits and rodents for some chemical safety tests," 11 July 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
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 Reducing human beings to animals is a timeworn method for oppression, and for African-Americans in particular, animal rhetoric has been a long-standing tool of white supremacy. — Sonia Saraiya, HWD, "The Survival Instincts of Atlanta’s Flawless Second Season," 11 May 2018These 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.
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Learn More about animal
From the Editors at Merriam-Webster
11 "Problems" Inspired by Animal Names
11 "Problems" Inspired by Animal Names
Cans of worms, wild-goose chases, and more
9 Animal Names That Are Also Verbs
9 Animal Names That Are Also Verbs
A primer on animal behavior.
Sly Fox, Fat Cat: Animal Names for...
Sly Fox, Fat Cat: Animal Names for People
From 'lame duck' to 'lounge lizard'
Dictionary Entries near animal
Statistics for animal
Last Updated
4 Dec 2018
Look-up Popularity
Time Traveler for animal
The first known use of animal was in the 14th century
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More Definitions for animal
animal
noun
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
adjectiveEnglish 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
\
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
\
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
adjectiveMedical 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
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