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Contents
animal
Overview
This page has 54 definitions of animal with English translations in 15 languages. Animal is a noun, an adjective, interjection and adverb. Examples of how to use animal in a sentence are shown. Also define these 74 related words and terms: sciences, Animalia, multicellular, organism, mobile, cell, cell wall, plant, fungi, beast, creature, chameleon, human, vertebrate, fish, insect, brute, monster, savage, type, matter, thing, animals, beastly, bestial, animalistic, untamed, wild, spirit, soul, animal, derogatory, contemptible, crazy, humorous, ruthless, pity, compassion, cruel, pitiless, disgust, anger, bête, bestiole, végétal, zannimo, ayup, living, sentience, sapience, beste, biology, cool, awesome, besta, bicho, twat, idiot, moron, idiota, retardado, burro, imbecil, débil mental, monstro, brutal, brutally, halimaw, hayop, brutish, person, inhuman, bruto, and abus.
English
Pronunciation
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Etymology 1
From Middle English animal, from Old French animal, from Latin animal, a nominal use of an adjective from animale, neuter of animālis, from anima (“breath, spirit”). Displaced native Middle English deor, der (“animal”) (from Old English dēor (“animal”)), Middle English reother (“animal, neat”) (from Old English hrīþer, hrȳþer (“neat, ox”)).
Noun
animal (plural animals)
- (sciences) A eukaryote of the clade Animalia; a multicellular organism that is usually mobile, whose cells are not encased in a rigid cell wall (distinguishing it from plants and fungi) and which derives energy solely from the consumption of other organisms (distinguishing it from plants).
- A cat is an animal, not a plant. Humans are also animals, under the scientific definition, as we are not plants.
- Synonyms: beast, creature
- 1650, Thomas Browne, “Of the Cameleon”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], OCLC 152706203, 3rd book, page 133:
- It cannot be denied it [the chameleon] is (if not the moſt of any) a very abſtemious animall, and ſuch as by reaſon of its frigidity, paucity of bloud, and latitancy in the winter (about which time the obſervations are often made) will long ſubſist without a viſible ſuſtentation.
Animalia definition
All multicellular organisms that have a central nervous system and rely on other organisms for energy- A taxonomic kingdom within the domain Eukaryota.
- A taxonomic kingdom within the superkingdom Eukaryota.
Organism definition
A discrete and complete living thing, such as animal, plant, fungus or microorganism. (1 of 2 organism definitions)
Cell Wall definition
A thick, fairly rigid, layer formed around individual cells of bacteria, Archaea, fungi, plants, and algae (but not animals and other protists which generally have cell membranes without cell walls). The cell wall is external to the cell membrane and serves a structural function helping the cell maintain its shape and protecting the cell from damage.
Plant definition
An organism that is not an animal, especially an organism capable of photosynthesis. Typically a small or herbaceous organism of this kind, rather than a tree. (1 of 17 plant definitions)
Fungi definition
(1 of 3 fungi definitions)
Beast definition
Any animal other than a human; usually only applied to land vertebrates, especially large or dangerous four-footed ones. (1 of 8 beast definitions)
Chameleon definition
A small to mid-size reptile, of the family Chamaeleonidae, and one of the best known lizard families able to change color and project its long tongue. (1 of 3 chameleon definitions)
- (loosely) Any member of the kingdom Animalia other than a human.
- Synonym: beast
Human definition
(1 of 3 human definitions)
- (loosely, colloquial) Any land-living vertebrate (i.e. not fishes, insects, etc.).
- 2013 July-August, Henry Petroski, “Geothermal Energy”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4:
- Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame. With more settled people, animals were harnessed to capstans or caged in treadmills to turn grist into meal.
Vertebrate definition
Having a backbone.
Fish definition
A cold-blooded vertebrate animal that lives in water, moving with the help of fins and breathing with gills. (1 of 19 fish definitions)
Insect definition
An arthropod (in the Insecta class) characterized by six legs, up to four wings, and a chitinous exoskeleton. (1 of 3 insect definitions)
- (figuratively) A person who behaves wildly; a bestial, brutal, brutish, cruel, or inhuman person.
- My students are animals.
- 2019, Finneas O'Connell and Billie Eilish O'Connell (lyrics), “Bad Guy”, performed by Billie Eilish:
- Own me, I'll let you play the role
I'll be your animal
- (informal) A person of a particular type.
- He's a political animal.
- Matter, thing.
- a whole different animal
Matter definition
Material, substance.- The basic structural component of the universe. Matter usually has mass and volume.
- Matter made up of normal particles, not antiparticles. (1 of 11 matter definitions)
Hyponyms
- See also Thesaurus:animal
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
Etymology 2
From Latin animālis, from either anima (“breath, spirit”) or animus. Originally distinct from the noun, it became associated with attributive use of the noun and is now indistinguishable from it.
Adjective
animal (not comparable)
- Of or relating to animals.
Beastly definition
Pertaining to, or having the form, nature, or habits of, a beast. (1 of 4 beastly definitions)
Bestial definition
Beast-like
- Raw, base, unhindered by social codes.
- animal passions
- Synonyms: animalistic, beastly, bestial, untamed, wild
Animalistic definition
In the manner of and/or resembling an animal; (1 of 3 animalistic definitions)
Untamed definition
Wild, uncontrolled, especially of animals not domesticated or trained to human contact.
Wild definition
Untamed; not domesticated; specifically, in an unbroken line of undomesticated animals (as opposed to feral, referring to undomesticated animals whose ancestors were domesticated). (1 of 17 wild definitions)
- Pertaining to the spirit or soul; relating to sensation or innervation.
- 2003, Roy Porter, Flesh in the Age of Reason (Penguin 2004), page 47:
- To explain what activated the flesh, ‘animal spirits’ were posited, superfine fluids which shuttled between the mind and the vitals, conveying messages and motion.
Soul definition
The spirit or essence of a person usually thought to consist of one's thoughts and personality, often believed to live on after the person's death. (1 of 7 soul definitions)
- 2003, Roy Porter, Flesh in the Age of Reason (Penguin 2004), page 47:
- (slang, Ireland) Excellent
Derived terms
- animal feed
- animalistic
- animal liberation
- animal magnetism
- animal rights
- manimal
- party animal
- political animal
- power animal
- anipal
- spirit animal
- advice animal
- animal activist
- animal charcoal
- animal cracker
- animal dentistry
- animal experimentation
- animal fat
- animal flower
- animal fries
- animal heat
- animal husbandry
- animal kingdom
- animal pole
- animal product
- animal registry
- animal science
- animal shelter
- animal spirits
- animal tester
- animal testing
- animal welfare
- animal welfarist
- animal-like
- assistance animal
- balloon animal
- companion animal
- compound animal
- draft animal
- draught animal
- emotional support animal
- farm animal
- funny animal
- go the entire animal
- moss animal
- pack animal
- plant-animal
- plush animal
- rare animal
- scape-animal
- service animal
- stuffed animal
- therapy animal
- wheel animal
- wild animal
- working animal
Translations
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See also
- Wiktionary appendix of terms relating to animals
Further reading
- animal at OneLook Dictionary Search
- animal in Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary, edited by The Keywords Project, Colin MacCabe, Holly Yanacek, 2018.
- animal in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911
- animal in Britannica Dictionary
- animal in Ozdic collocation dictionary
- animal in WordReference English Collocations
Anagrams
Asturian
Etymology
Adjective
animal (epicene, plural animales)
- animal
Animal definition
A eukaryote of the clade Animalia; a multicellular organism that is usually mobile, whose cells are not encased in a rigid cell wall (distinguishing it from plants and fungi) and which derives energy solely from the consumption of other organisms (distinguishing it from plants). (1 of 6 animal definitions)
Noun
animal m (plural animales)
Catalan
Etymology
Pronunciation
- (Balearic, Central) IPA(key): /ə.niˈmal/
- (Valencian) IPA(key): /a.niˈmal/
Audio (Valencian) (file) - Rhymes: -al
Adjective
animal (masculine and feminine plural animals)
Noun
animal m (plural animals)
Derived terms
- animalada
- animalitzar (“to animalize”)
Further reading
- “animal” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
- “animal”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2022
- “animal” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
- “animal” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
Cebuano
Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish animal, from Latin animal, a nominal use of an adjective from animale, neuter of animālis, from anima (“breath, spirit”).
Pronunciation
Noun
animál
- animal
- (derogatory) a contemptible person
- (sometimes humurous), a crazy person
Adjective
animál
- (sometimes humorous), crazy
- contemptible, deserving contempt
- ruthless; without pity or compassion; cruel, pitiless
Pity definition
A feeling of sympathy at the misfortune or suffering of someone or something. (1 of 3 pity definitions)
Cruel definition
Intentionally causing or reveling in pain and suffering; merciless, heartless. (1 of 3 cruel definitions)
Interjection
animál
- (vulgar) used as an expression of disgust, anger, etc.
Anger definition
A strong feeling of displeasure, hostility or antagonism towards someone or something, usually combined with an urge to harm, often stemming from perceived provocation, hurt, or threat. (1 of 2 anger definitions)
French
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin animal. Compare the archaic inherited doublet aumaille and its variant armaille, both from the Latin neuter plural animālia.
Pronunciation
Noun
animal m (plural animaux)
- animal
Bête definition
beast, animal (1 of 2 bête definitions)
Bestiole definition
small animal (1 of 2 bestiole definitions)
Derived terms
Adjective
animal (feminine animale, masculine plural animaux, feminine plural animales)
Further reading
- “animal”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Anagrams
Galician
Etymology
Adjective
animal m or f (plural animais)
Noun
animal m (plural animais)
Haitian Creole
Etymology
From French animal, from Latin animal.
Noun
animal
Ilocano
Etymology
Pronunciation
Noun
animál
Interlingua
Pronunciation
Noun
animal (plural animales)
Kabuverdianu
Etymology
From Portuguese animal.
Noun
animal
Latin
Etymology
From animāle, nominative neuter singular of animālis.
Pronunciation
Noun
animal n (genitive animālis); third declension
Declension
Third-declension noun (neuter, “pure” i-stem).
Case | Singular | Plural |
---|---|---|
Nominative | animal | animālia |
Genitive | animālis | animālium |
Dative | animālī | animālibus |
Accusative | animal | animālia |
Ablative | animālī | animālibus |
Vocative | animal | animālia |
Synonyms
Related terms
Descendants
- Aromanian: nãmalj, nãmaljiu
- Corsican: animale
- Dalmatian: animuol, animul
- Franco-Provençal: armalye
- Old French: animal
- Friulian: nemâl
- Italian: animale
- → Maltese: annimal
- Old Portuguese: almallo
- Romagnol: animêl
- Romanian: nămaie
- Sicilian: armali, armalu
- Spanish: alimaña, almaje
- Tarantino: anemale
- Venetian: animal, anemal
- → Aragonese: animal
- → Asturian: animal
- → Basque: animalia
- → Breton: aneval
- → Catalan: animal
- → Franco-Provençal: animal
- → Friulian: animâl
- → Galician: animal
- → Ido: animalo (also from various others)
- → Interlingua: animal
- → Novial: animale
- → Occitan: animal
- → Portuguese: animal
- → Romansch: animal
- → Spanish: animal
- → Welsh: anifail
References
- “animal”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- “animal”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
- animal in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
- animal in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette
- Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
- animate and inanimate nature: animata (animalia) inanimaque (not inanimata)
- domestic animals: animalia quae nobiscum degunt (Plin. 8. 40)
- animate and inanimate nature: animata (animalia) inanimaque (not inanimata)
Middle English
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Old French animal, from Latin animal.
Alternative forms
Noun
animal (plural animales)
- An animal (considered to include humans)
Descendants
References
- “animāl, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-01-16.
Etymology 2
Alternative forms
Adjective
animal
- Related to the soul or spirit of a living being (i.e. sentience or sapience)
Sentience definition
The state or quality of being sentient; possession of consciousness or sensory awareness.
Descendants
- English: animal
References
- “animāl, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-01-16.
Middle French
Noun
animal m (plural animaux or animaulx)
Papiamentu
Etymology
From Portuguese animal and Spanish animal.
Noun
animal
Portuguese
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin animal. Doublet of alimária.
Pronunciation
Adjective
animal m or f (plural animais)
- (biology) animal (relating to animals)
- 2000, Julio S. Inglez de Sousa et al., Enciclopédia agrícola brasileira: E-H, Editora da Universidade de São Paulo, page 225:
- Em anatomia animal o termo é de uso muito comum, […]
- The term is very commonly used in animal anatomy, […]
- 2000, Julio S. Inglez de Sousa et al., Enciclopédia agrícola brasileira: E-H, Editora da Universidade de São Paulo, page 225:
- (derogatory, of a person) brute (senseless, unreasoning)
- (Brazil, colloquial) cool; awesome
- 2015, Juliana Rosenthal K., Save the Day, Buqui, page 52:
- É, tava animal mesmo — Bia mal consegue falar.
- Yeah, it really was wild — Bia can barely speak.
Cool definition
(1 of 15 cool definitions)
Awesome definition
Causing awe or terror; inspiring wonder or excitement. (1 of 2 awesome definitions)
- 2015, Juliana Rosenthal K., Save the Day, Buqui, page 52:
Inflection
singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | masculine | feminine | |
positive | animal | animal | animais | animais |
comparative | mais animal | mais animal | mais animais | mais animais |
superlative | o mais animal animalíssimo |
a mais animal animalíssima |
os mais animais animalíssimos |
as mais animais animalíssimas |
augmentative | — | — | — | — |
diminutive | — | — | — | — |
Quotations
For quotations using this term, see Citations:animal.
Noun
animal m (plural animais)
- (biology) animal (any member of the kingdom Animalia)
- 2020, Petrônio Braz, Léxico dos Gerais, Chiado Books, page 481:
- Primatas — Animais mamíferos, da ordem Primata, que compreende os macacos, antropóides e o homem.
- Primates — Mammalian animals, of the order Primata, which comprises monkeys/apes, anthropoids and man.
- 2020, Petrônio Braz, Léxico dos Gerais, Chiado Books, page 481:
- (non-scientific usage) animal (an animal other than a human, especially a vertebrate)
- Daniela Ikawa, Valor humano intrínseco e redistribuição social in 2007, Flávia Piovesan, Daniela Ikawa, Direitos Humanos: Fundamento, Proteção e Implementação, volume 2, Juruá Editora, page 44:
- Separar os dois grupos — humanos e animais requereria, dentro dos limites da teoria relativa à dor e ao sofrimento, […]
- Separating the twe groups — humans and animals would require, within the limits of the theory relating to pain and suffering, […]
Besta definition
first-person singular present indicative of bestaan (1 of 3 besta definitions)
Bicho definition
bug (alternative form of becho)
- Daniela Ikawa, Valor humano intrínseco e redistribuição social in 2007, Flávia Piovesan, Daniela Ikawa, Direitos Humanos: Fundamento, Proteção e Implementação, volume 2, Juruá Editora, page 44:
- (colloquial) twat; idiot; moron
- 1979, Wilson Bacelar de Oliveira, Os meus fantasmas, Editora Comunicação, page 490:
- Escute aqui, seu animal, então você brigou com o companheiro?
- Listen up, you dumbass, so you fought with [your] mate?
Retardado definition
retarded delayed in development (1 of 4 retardado definitions)
Burro definition
A small donkey, especially when used as a pack animal or one that is feral and lives in the southwestern United States or northern Mexico.
Imbecil definition
imbecile
Débil Mental definition
retard (person with mental retardation)
- 1979, Wilson Bacelar de Oliveira, Os meus fantasmas, Editora Comunicação, page 490:
- (colloquial) beast (a cruel person)
- 2007, Creso Balduíno, O verso do ser, Editora Revan, page 170:
- Josuel é um animal repulsivo, uma besta humana.
- Josuel is a repulsive beast, a human beast.
- Synonym: monstro
Monstro definition
i wonder (if)
- 2007, Creso Balduíno, O verso do ser, Editora Revan, page 170:
Quotations
For quotations using this term, see Citations:animal.
Derived terms
- animal de estimação
- animalizar
- animalzão (augmentative)
- animalzinho (diminutive)
Romanian
Etymology
Borrowed from French animal, from Latin animal. Doublet of nămaie.
Pronunciation
Adjective
animal m or n (feminine singular animală, masculine plural animali, feminine and neuter plural animale)
- animal, animalistic
- brutal
Brutal definition
(1 of 7 brutal definitions)
Declension
Adverb
animal
Noun
animal n (plural animale)
Declension
singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
indefinite articulation | definite articulation | indefinite articulation | definite articulation | |
nominative/accusative | (un) animal | animalul | (niște) animale | animalele |
genitive/dative | (unui) animal | animalului | (unor) animale | animalelor |
vocative | animalule | animalelor |
Romansch
Etymology
Noun
animal m (plural animals)
Synonyms
- (Rumantsch Grischun, Sursilvan, Surmiran) biestg
- (Rumantsch Grischun, Sutsilvan) bestga
- (Sursilvan) tier, bestia
- (Puter, Vallader) bes-cha
Spanish
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin animal. See also alimaña, an inherited doublet.
Pronunciation
Adjective
animal (plural animales)
Noun
animal m (plural animales)
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading
- “animal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014
Anagrams
Tagalog
Etymology
Pronunciation
Noun
animál
- beast; brute; creature
Halimaw definition
a monster; a terrifying and dangerous creature
Hayop definition
animal, beast (1 of 2 hayop definitions)
- (derogatory) brutish person; inhuman person
Inhuman definition
Of or pertaining to inhumanity and the indifferently cruel, sadistic or barbaric behavior it brings. (1 of 2 inhuman definitions)
Bruto definition
gross (excluding deductions)
Derived terms
- kaanimalan
- pagkaanimal
Tok Pisin
Etymology
Noun
animal
- animal (members of Kingdom Animalia that are not humans)
- Synonym: abus
Abus definition
abuse (improper usage)