critter

noun

crit·​ter ˈkri-tər 

informal

: an animal : creature sense 1

Most of her sublime illustrations involve hippos and pigs, which are appealing critters, especially when they have a few chocolate smudges around the mouth.

—People Weekly

When the wind is blowing just so, the field is set afire on three sides, and all manner of critters get flushed out of one end—snakes, possums, raccoons, and rabbits, lots of rabbits.

—Alexander Wolff

Flies, gnats, mosquitoes, ticks, mites and lice pester your horse year-round. If you ignore them, these critters can cause your equine friend months of misery.

—Charlene Strickland

—sometimes used of a person

Sale admits that humans, being the relatively big-brained critters we are, cannot do without technology …

—M. Kujawa

Synonyms of critter

• animal
• creature

Examples of critter in a Sentence

The woods are filled with skunks, raccoons, and other critters.

she's so fond of every kind of critter that she ought to be a veterinarian

Recent Examples on the Web

Public health experts recommend thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables or simply cooking them, which kills the tiny critters. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 30 July 2026

More than four decades and a career pivot later, much of his cash flow is still reserved for the critters. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 29 July 2026

Since 1992, the critters have washed ashore in Alaska, Polynesia, Australia, South America, and the Pacific Northwest. — Drew Goins, The Atlantic, 29 July 2026

The squirrel raced up and down the warning track, and play continued for a full inning while the critter made its way around the ballpark. — Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

by alteration

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for critter

• bitter
• fitter
• fritter
• glitter
• hitter
• jitter
• knitter
• litter
• quitter
• ritter
• splitter
• titter

Kids Definition

critter

noun

crit·​ter ˈkrit-ər 

informal

: creature