animal

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noun an·i·mal \ ˈa-nə-məl \

Definition of animal

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

2 a :one of the lower animals (see ³lower 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 1c

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animallike

play \-mə(l)-ˌlīk\ adjective

See animal defined for English-language learners

See animal defined for kids

Examples of animal in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples of animal from the Web

For example, a gene drive that somehow hopped from a target species into the genomes of other animals might wipe them out before anything could be done about it.

— The Economist, "Gene drivesA promising means of pest control meets some evolutionary truths," 22 July 2017
What Trump is doing, or refusing to do, is an entirely different animal.

— cristian farias, Daily Intelligencer, "Somebody Should Sue the Hell Out of Donald Trump If He Lets Obamacare Collapse," 20 July 2017
At the bottom end of starting salaries were graduates in the arts, education and animal sciences.

— stewart welch, AL.com, "College Student? Do this!," 19 July 2017
The two will storm the sidewalks of Calabasas and take selfies, Snapchat their lunches, and do photo-shoots in front of real zoo animals.

— christopher rosa, Glamour, "Kylie Jenner's New Wax Figure Looks Just Like Her," 19 July 2017
An animal control officer picked up the lethargic fledgling barred owl and transferred it to wildlife rehabilitators.

— Washington Post, "Loudoun County Animal Watch," 18 July 2017
But animals like wolves do not respect lines drawn on a map.

— joanna klein, New York Times, "Protected Wolves in Alaska Face Peril From Beyond Their Preserve," 14 July 2017
Sanitizer stations are available, and visitors are encouraged to wash their hands after petting animals and before eating.

— mariel padilla, Cincinnati.com, "One swine flu case confirmed at the Clinton County Fair," 14 July 2017
Most of their foods are organic, and all are fair trade, non-GMO, free of any artificial preservatives, flavors, and colors, and fully against animal testing.

— alyse whitney, Bon Appetit, "All the Food at This Company Will Be $3 or Less," 11 July 2017

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.

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.

Origin and Etymology of animal

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

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animal Synonyms

Synonyms

beast, beastie, brute, creature, critter

Related Words

blastie [Scottish], varmint, vermin; biped, quadruped; carnivore, herbivore, insectivore; invertebrate, vertebrate; domestic animal, pet; feral; livestock, stock

Other Zoology Terms

altruism, integument

animal

adjective

Definition of animal

1 :of, relating to, resembling, or derived from animals

animal instincts

animal behavior

2 a :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

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animally

play \-mə-lē\ adverb

See animal defined for English-language learners

Examples of animal in a Sentence

several different plant and animal species
milk, meat, and other animal products
People were shocked by the animal brutality of the attack.

Recent Examples of animal from the Web

The Eclipse Across America will provide an opportunity for students to experience phenomena such as lighting, shadows, temperature and wind changes, and even animal behavior.

— wilborn p. nobles iii, NOLA.com, "Solar eclipse's potential dangers lead New Orleans area schools to be cautious," 17 Aug. 2017
Sweat bees collect salt from human and animal sweat.

— anne schamberg, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Pollinator party buzzes with important lessons," 12 Aug. 2017
Small, wingless insects that feed on human and animal blood, the common bed bug (or Cimex lectularius) lays hundreds of eggs that are hard to spot—

— katherine lagrave, CNT, "Bed Bugs in Hotels Are on the Rise," 11 Aug. 2017
Apart from the complications and expense added to their management routines, ranchers are animal people.

— lynda v. mapes, The Seattle Times, "With cattle in Washington’s wolf country, ranchers work and worry," 14 July 2017
To be sure, animal researchers on both sides of the Atlantic can be anxious about going public.

— meredith wadman, Science | AAAS, "To woo public, Europe opens up on animal experiments, but U.S. less transparent," 14 July 2017
Animal control officers worked through the night after fireworks displays to accommodate their new charges.

— joshua stewart, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Animal Services receives dozens of dogs who were scared away by fireworks," 5 July 2017
Animal control officers gave the piglets a lift back in their vehicle.

— CBS News, "Police capture escaped pigs using Doritos, Cheetos," 1 July 2017
But Allen believes the project has all sorts of implications for environmental DNA, the study of telltale plant and animal genetic materials collected from soil and other substrates.

— Smithsonian, "How (and Where) Did Hannibal Cross the Alps?," 28 June 2017

Origin and Etymology of animal

see ¹animal

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1581

See Words from the same year

animal Synonyms

Synonyms

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

Antonyms

nonmaterial, nonphysical

Related Words

anatomic (or anatomical), physiological (or physiologic); sensual, sensuous; hand-to-hand

Near Antonyms

cerebral, inner, intellectual, mental, psychological (also psychologic); bodiless, immaterial, incorporeal, insubstantial, spiritual; ethereal, metaphysical, psychic (also psychical)

Synonym Discussion of animal

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

Other Zoology Terms

altruism, integument

ANIMAL Defined for English Language Learners

animal

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noun

Definition of animal for English Language Learners

: 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

Definition of animal for English Language Learners

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

ANIMAL Defined for Kids

animal

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noun an·i·mal \ ˈa-nə-məl \

Definition of animal for Students

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

Word Root of animal

The Latin word anima, meaning “breath” or “spirit,” gives us the root anim. Words from the Latin anima have something to do with having breath or spirit. An animal is a living creature that breathes and can move around on its own. To animate something is to give it breath or life. Someone magnanimous has a courageous spirit.

Medical Dictionary

animal

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noun an·i·mal \ ˈan-ə-məl \

medical Definition of animal

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

2 a :one of the lower animals as distinguished from human beings

b :mammal; broadly :vertebrate