creature

noun

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

Synonyms of creature

• animal

Examples of creature in a Sentence

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

Now, drones map the stream and the vegetation from above, and environmental DNA samples indicate the presence of creatures in the water, without having to catch them. —Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 27 Dec. 2025

While guarding this mysterious gorge, these good-looking sharpshooters inevitably fall in love and join forces to contain the marauding creatures. —Jeff Spry, Space.com, 27 Dec. 2025

The stakes are high, and there are the usual interpersonal fights to sort out amongst all the battles with intergalactic creatures. —Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025

Eight episodes, none of them much longer than the standard broadcast hour minus commercials, turned out to be the perfect length for a bingeable story that fleshed out the creature features of decades past by making Hawkins an enjoyable, if spooky, place to be. —Judy Berman, Time, 26 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

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