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animal definition

ani·mal (an′i məl)

noun

  1. any of a kingdom (Animalia) of eukaryotes generally characterized by a multicellular body, the ability to move quickly and obtain food, specialized sense organs, and sexual reproduction
  2. any such organism other than a human being, esp. a mammal or, often, any four-footed creature
  3. a brutish, debased, or inhuman person
  4. Informal a person, thing, concept, etc. thought of as a kind or type today's athlete is another animal altogether

Etymology: L, living being < anima, animus, breath, air, life principle, soul < IE base *an(e)-, to breathe, exhale > Gr anemos, Sans anilas, wind, breath, OE antha, excitement, anger

adjective

  1. of, like, or derived from animals
  2. physical rather than mental or spiritual; specif., sensual, gross, bestial, etc.

Related Forms:

animal Idioms

the animal

animal nature; animality it's the animal in him

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

medical animal definition - medical

animal Synonyms

animal

modif.

  1. Referring to characteristics of the animal kingdom

    animalistic, bestial, beastly, swinish, brutish, wild, beastlike, feral, untamed, instinctual, zoological.

    Terms referring to specific animals include: vertebrate, invertebrate, mammalian, ruminant, ungulate, bovine, canine, equine, feline, leonine, lupine, vulpine, ursine, porcine, caprine, ovine, pachydermal, lagomorphic, rodent, marsupial, piscatorial, crustacean, cetacean, amphibian, avian, serpentine, ophidian, reptilian.

  2. Referring to the bodily characteristics of humans

    corporeal, physical, bodily, muscular, fleshly, sensual, carnal, earthy, earthly, natural; see also sensual 2. See syn. study at sensual.

    Antonyms spiritual*, intellectual*, supernatural.


animal

n.

  1. A mobile organism

    living thing, creature, human being, primate, mammal, beast, being, vertebrate, invertebrate, quadruped, biped, carnivore, herbivore, insectivore, scavenger, omnivore, a representative of the fauna.

  2. A nonhuman creature

    creature, beast, beast of burden, brute, domestic animal, wild animal, lower animal, quadruped, beast of the field, creeping thing, varmint, pet, farm animal, dumb animal, wild thing, one of God's creatures, monster, critter*.

  3. A brutish human

    brute, savage, monster; see beast 2.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

animal Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • slaughter: Compensation for bovine animals slaughtered for BSE is calculated in England under the TSE Regulations 2006.

Preposition: in

  • zoo: There are over 400 hundred animals in this zoo set within 32 acres of landscaped gardens.

Adjective modifier

  • wild: She hopes that the wild animals will stop the world's media getting too close.

Modifies a noun

  • welfare: Rather than go quietly I would like to do something to improve animal welfare on upland organic farms.

Noun used with modifier

  • farm: The welfare of the farm animals is satisfactory under this system.
animal usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

animal quotes

His name was Shadow, short for ShadowThat Comes in Sight, an old Indian name, Apache or Cheyenne. I very much approved of this.You don't want dogs called Spot or Pooch.You don't want dogs called Nigel or Keith. The names of dogs should salute the mystical drama of the animal life. Shadowöthat's a good name.

-Amis, Martin Louis

Nature, as we say, does nothing without some purpose; and for thepurpose of making mana political animal she has endowed him alone among the animals with the power of reasoned speech.

-Aristotle

What animal magnetism drew thee and me togetheröI know not.

-Bronte«  , Charlotte

animal quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"animal." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/animal>

APA Style

animal. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/animal

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