Animals
Mammals, birds, fish, insects, and the words biologists use to describe them.
531 words
Download MarkdownSome words in this topic are A2–C2 — part of Pro. A1 words are always free.
Go ProA1 (18)
dog
A1
/dɔɡ/
A common four-legged animal often kept as a pet or for work.
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horse
A1
/hɔɹs/
A large four-legged animal that people ride and use for pulling loads.
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fish
A1
/ˈfɪ̝ʃ/
An animal that lives in water and breathes through gills, usually with scales and fins.
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cat
A1
/kæt/
A small furry animal with whiskers and a tail, often kept as a pet.
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chicken
A1
/ˈt͡ʃɪkən/
A common farm bird kept for its eggs and meat.
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animal
A1
/ˈæn.ᵻ.məl/
A living creature that can move and feel, such as a dog, bird, or fish, but not a plant.
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bird
A1
/ˈbɝd/
An animal with feathers and wings that lays eggs and can usually fly.
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pig
A1
/pɪɡ/
A farm animal with a fat body, short legs, and a flat nose, kept for its meat.
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egg
A1
/ɛɡ/
A rounded object laid by a bird, especially a hen, used as food.
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cow
A1
/kaʊ/
A large female farm animal kept for its milk and meat.
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snake
A1
/ˈsneɪk/
A long, legless reptile with a thin body and a forked tongue.
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tiger
A1
/ˈtaɪɡɚ/
A large, powerful wild cat with orange fur and black stripes, native to Asia.
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lion
A1
/ˈlaɪən/
A large wild cat with a tan coat, the males having a shaggy mane, native to Africa and India.
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sheep
A1
/ʃiːp/
A farm animal with a thick woolly coat, kept for its wool and meat.
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rabbit
A1
/ˈɹæbət/
A small furry animal with long ears and a short tail that lives in burrows.
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mouse
A1
/maʊs/
A small furry animal with a pointed nose, small ears and a long thin tail.
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butterfly
A1
/ˈbʌ.tə(ɹ).flaɪ/
A flying insect with large, often brightly coloured wings.
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den
A1
/dɛn/
a wild animal's lair
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A2 (19) Pro
whoa
A2
/woʊ/
used as a command for a horse or other animal to stop or slow down
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bear
A2
/bɛɚ/
A large, heavy wild animal with thick fur and strong claws.
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monkey
A2
/ˈmʌŋki/
A small to medium-sized animal that usually has a long tail and lives mainly in trees.
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creature
A2
/ˈkɹi.tʃɚ/
A living thing, especially an animal.
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duck
A2
/dʌk/
A common water bird with a flat beak, short legs, and webbed feet.
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bug
A2
/bʌɡ/
A small insect
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pet
A2
/pɛt/
An animal that you keep at home for company and pleasure.
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shell
A2
/ʃel/
The hard outer covering of an animal such as a snail, crab, or turtle.
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elephant
A2
/ˈɛl.ə.fənt/
A very large grey animal with a long trunk and big ears, found in Africa and Asia.
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web
A2
/wɛb/
The thin net of fine threads that a spider makes to catch insects.
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frog
A2
/fɹɑɡ/
A small, smooth-skinned animal with long back legs that lives in or near water and jumps.
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armor
A2
/ˈɑːɹ.mɚ/
tough more-or-less rigid protective covering of an animal or plant
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feather
A2
/ˈfɛð.ɚ/
One of the light, soft structures that cover a bird's body.
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dinosaur
A2
/ˈdaɪnəsoɹ/
A large reptile that lived millions of years ago and is now extinct.
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insect
A2
/ˈɪn.sɛkt/
A small animal with six legs and a hard outer shell, and usually one or two pairs of wings, such as an ant, fly, or beetle.
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meow
A2
/miˈaʊ/
the characteristic crying sound made by a cat
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flea
A2
/fliː/
A tiny jumping insect that bites animals and people and feeds on their blood.
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chirp
A2
/t͡ʃɚp/
A short, high, cheerful sound made by a small bird or insect.
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frighten off
A2
to make someone or something go away by causing fear
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B1 (46) Pro
horn
B1
/hɔɹn/
A hard pointed growth on the head of some animals, such as cows or goats.
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beast
B1
/ˈbiːst/
An animal, especially a large or dangerous wild one.
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tail
B1
/ˈteːl/
The long, thin part that sticks out at the back of an animal's body.
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wing
B1
/ˈwɪŋɡ/
One of the two body parts a bird, bat, or insect uses to fly.
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cage
B1
/keɪd͡ʒ/
A container made of bars or wire for keeping animals or birds.
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circus
B1
/ˈsɝkəs/
A traveling show with acrobats, clowns, and trained animals, usually held in a large tent.
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shark
B1
/ʃɑːrk/
a mostly marine fish with a cartilaginous skeleton, rough skin, and several rows of teeth
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bee
B1
/ˈbiː/
A flying insect that collects pollen from flowers and, in some species, makes honey.
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lamb
B1
/læm/
A young sheep.
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spider
B1
/ˈspaɪ̯dɚ/
A small eight-legged creature that spins webs to catch insects.
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turtle
B1
/ˈtɝtl̩/
A reptile with a hard protective shell, living on land or in water.
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puppy
B1
/ˈpʌpi/
A young dog.
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whale
B1
/weɪl/
A very large mammal that lives in the sea and breathes air through a hole on top of its head.
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phoenix
B1
/ˈfiːnɪks/
A mythical bird that burns itself to ashes and then rises again, born new from the ashes.
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salmon
B1
/ˈsæmən/
A large fish with pink-orange flesh that swims up rivers to lay eggs; it is a popular food.
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herd
B1
/hɝd/
A large group of animals of one kind, especially cattle or other livestock, that live or move together.
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crow
B1
/kɹoʊ/
A large black bird with a harsh, croaking call.
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breed
B1
/briːd/
A particular type of a domestic animal within a species.
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tuna
B1
/ˈtjuː.nə/
A large sea fish that is often eaten as food.
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ant
B1
[ɛənt]
A small insect that lives in large, organized groups underground.
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mule
B1
/mjul/
An animal that is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse.
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camel
B1
/ˈkæm(ə)l/
A large desert animal with one or two humps on its back, used for carrying people and goods.
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parrot
B1
/ˈpæɹət/
A brightly coloured tropical bird with a hooked beak that can copy human speech.
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flock
B1
/flɑk/
A group of birds or sheep that stay together.
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B2 (58) Pro
martin
B2
/ˈmɑɹ.tɪn/
a swallow-like bird with long pointed wings that catches insects while flying
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wolf
B2
/wʊlf/
A large wild animal of the dog family that hunts in groups.
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species
B2
/ˈspiːʃiːz/
A group of living things that are similar and can breed with one another.
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jay
B2
/ˈd͡ʒeɪ/
a noisy, often brightly colored bird of the crow family, typically with a crest
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fox
B2
/fɑks/
A wild animal like a small dog, with reddish-brown fur, pointed ears, and a long bushy tail.
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bat
B2
/bæt/
A small flying animal that comes out at night and feeds on insects or fruit.
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seal
B2
/siːl/
A sea animal with smooth fur and flippers that lives partly in water and partly on land.
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goat
B2
/ɡoʊt/
A farm animal with horns, kept for its milk, meat, and wool.
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eagle
B2
/ˈiːɡəl/
A large, powerful bird of prey with a hooked beak and very sharp eyesight.
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barn
B2
[ˈbɑɹn]
A large farm building used to store crops or keep animals.
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ranch
B2
/ˈɹænt͡ʃ/
a large farm or tract of land used primarily for raising cattle, sheep, horses, or other livestock
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deer
B2
/dɪɹ/
A wild animal with long legs and hooves; the males often have antlers.
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donkey
B2
/ˈdɑŋ.ki/
A grey animal with long ears, similar to a small horse, used for carrying loads.
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ling
B2
/ˈlɪŋ/
A long, slender saltwater fish related to cod, often eaten as food.
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swan
B2
/swɑn/
A large water bird with a long neck and usually white feathers.
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owl
B2
/aʊ(ə)l/
A bird of prey that is active mainly at night, with large forward-facing eyes, a flat face, and excellent hearing.
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dove
B2
/dʌv/
A small, usually white or grey bird similar to a pigeon, often used as a symbol of peace.
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falcon
B2
/ˈfælkən/
a fast-flying bird of prey of the genus Falco, with long pointed wings and a hooked beak
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crocodile
B2
/ˈkɹɑkədaɪl/
A large reptile with a long body, powerful jaws, and sharp teeth that lives in and near rivers in hot countries.
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leopard
B2
/ˈlɛp.ɚd/
A large wild cat with a spotted coat, found in Africa and Asia.
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leash
B2
/ˈliːʃ/
A strap, cord, or rope used to hold and control an animal, especially a dog.
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octopus
B2
/ˈɑktəpʊs/
a soft-bodied sea animal with eight sucker-bearing arms
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paw
B2
/pɔ/
The foot of an animal such as a dog, cat, or bear, that has claws.
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sparrow
B2
/ˈspæɹ.oʊ/
A small, common brown and gray bird with a short beak.
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C1 (39) Pro
nest
C1
/nɛst/
A structure that a bird or other animal builds to lay eggs and raise its young.
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goose
C1
/ɡus/
A large water bird with webbed feet and a long neck, bigger than a duck.
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prey
C1
/pɹeɪ/
An animal that is hunted and eaten by another animal.
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hawk
C1
/ˈhɔk/
a bird of prey with keen eyesight, broad wings, and a hooked bill
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pigeon
C1
/ˈpə.dʒən/
A common grey bird with a plump body and short legs, often seen in towns and cities.
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predator
C1
/ˈpɹɛd.ə.tɚ/
An animal that hunts and kills other animals for food.
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peacock
C1
/ˈpiː.kɑːk/
A large male bird with a long, brightly coloured tail that it can spread out like a fan.
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parasite
C1
/ˈpæɹəˌsaɪt/
An animal or plant that lives on or inside another and feeds off it.
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antenna
C1
/ænˈtɛn.ə/
one of a pair of mobile appendages on the head of e.g. insects and crustaceans
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hedgehog
C1
/ˈhɛd͡ʒ.hɒɡ/
A small spiny mammal that rolls into a ball when threatened and is active at night.
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aquarium
C1
/əˈkwɛɹ.i.jəm/
A glass tank or bowl filled with water for keeping fish and other water animals.
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snail
C1
/sneɪl/
A small slow-moving animal with a soft body and a spiral shell on its back.
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mink
C1
/mɪŋk/
a small, dark-furred semiaquatic carnivorous mammal related to weasels
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stallion
C1
/ˈstæljən/
an adult uncastrated male horse, especially one kept for breeding
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fetus
C1
/ˈfiːtəs/
An unborn or unhatched vertebrate showing signs of the mature animal.
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hoof
C1
/hʊf/
the hard covering at the end of the foot of a horse, deer, sheep, or other ungulate
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louse
C1
/laʊs/
a small, wingless parasitic insect that lives on the skin, hair, or feathers of a person or animal
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shrew
C1
/ʃɹuː/
a small, active, insect-eating mammal with a pointed snout, resembling a mouse
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manger
C1
/ˈmeɪn.dʒɚ/
an open box or trough in a stable from which horses, cattle, or other animals feed
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mite
C1
/maɪt/
any of numerous minute arachnids, many of which live as parasites on animals or plants
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tigress
C1
/ˈtaɪ.ɡrəs/
a female tiger
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lasso
C1
/ˈlæs.oʊ/
a long rope with a sliding loop used especially to catch cattle or horses
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centaur
C1
/ˈsen.tɔːr/
in Greek mythology, a creature with a horse's body and a human head, arms, and torso
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burro
C1
/ˈbɝː.oʊ/
a small donkey, especially one used as a pack animal in the southwestern United States or Mexico
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C2 (228) Pro
shepherd
C2
/ˈʃɛpəɹd/
a herder of sheep, often on an open range
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lizard
C2
/ˈlɪz.ɚd/
Any reptile of the order Squamata that is not a snake or part of Mosasauria — typically characterised by a rounded torso, a short neck with an elevated head, four limbs and a long tail, although some species are legless.
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coop
C2
/kuːp/
a small enclosure or shelter for poultry or other small animals
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weasel
C2
/ˈwizəl/
a small slender carnivorous mammal of the genus Mustela or a related genus
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cobra
C2
/ˈkoʊbrə/
any of several venomous Asian or African elapid snakes that can spread the ribs of the neck to form a hood, especially a snake of the genus Naja
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hare
C2
/hɛɚ/
swift timid long-eared mammal larger than a rabbit having a divided upper lip and long hind legs
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tit
C2
/tɪt/
a small, active songbird that often feeds on insects and seeds
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tweet
C2
/ˈtwit/
a short, high-pitched chirping sound, especially one made by a small bird
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skunk
C2
/skʌŋk/
a small black-and-white American mammal that can spray a powerful-smelling defensive fluid
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moth
C2
/mɔθ/
Any flying insect of the order Lepidoptera not in the superfamily Papilionoidea, most species of which are nocturnal and can be distinguished from butterflies by feather-like antennae.
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unicorn
C2
/ˈju.nɪ.kɔɹn/
A mythical horse, widely believed to exist until the 17th century, with a single, straight, spiraled horn projecting from its forehead.
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noose
C2
/nuːs/
a trap for birds or small mammals
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vermin
C2
/ˈvɝmɪn/
Small harmful animals or insects, such as rats, mice, or fleas, that are hard to control.
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raccoon
C2
/ræˈkuːn/
a nocturnal North American mammal with a black facial mask, dexterous forepaws, and a ringed tail
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hutch
C2
/hʌtʃ/
a cage or enclosed box in which rabbits or other small animals are kept
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eel
C2
/iːl/
Any freshwater fish of the order Anguilliformes, which are elongated and resemble snakes.
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fern
C2
/fɝn/
Any of a group of some twenty thousand species of vascular plants classified in the division Pteridophyta that lack seeds and reproduce by shedding spores to initiate an alternation of generations.
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roach
C2
/roʊtʃ/
a silvery-green European freshwater fish, or any of several related fishes
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carmine
C2
/ˈkɑɹmaɪn/
a vivid purplish-red pigment or dye traditionally made from cochineal insects
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runt
C2
/rʌnt/
the smallest or weakest animal in a litter
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mackerel
C2
/ˈmækərəl/
a streamlined sea fish with dark wavy markings, commonly caught for food
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ostrich
C2
/ˈɔs.tɹɪt͡ʃ/
fast-running African flightless bird with two-toed feet
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ferret
C2
/ˈfɛɹɪt/
domesticated albino variety of the European polecat bred for hunting rats and rabbits
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mammal
C2
/ˈmæməl/
any warm-blooded vertebrate having the skin more or less covered with hair
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C2+ (123) Pro
buffalo
C2+
/ˈbʌf.ə.loʊ/
any of several Old World animals resembling oxen including, e.g., water buffalo
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jackal
C2+
/ˈd͡ʒækəl/
an Old World nocturnal canine mammal closely related to the dog
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walrus
C2+
/ˈwɑl.ɹəs/
A large Arctic marine mammal related to seals and having long tusks, tough, wrinkled skin, and four flippers, Odobenus rosmarus.
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man-eater
C2+
/ˈmænˌiːtɚ/
an animal that has killed and eaten humans, especially a tiger, lion, crocodile, or shark
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devilfish
C2+
/ˈdɛvəlˌfɪʃ/
any of several large or striking marine animals, especially an octopus or manta ray
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madrina
C2+
/mɑːˈdriːnə/
in South American pack travel, a steady mare or other animal wearing a bell and leading a troop of mules
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toxodon
C2+
/ˈtɑksəˌdɑn/
a large extinct herbivorous South American mammal of the genus Toxodon, a member of the hoofed-mammal order Notoungulata
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declivity
C2+
/dɪˈklɪvɪti/
An inward curve of the exoskeleton of an insect, such as between body segments; a segment of an insect's body where the exoskeleton curves inward.
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babirusa
C2+
/ˌbɑːbiˈruːsə/
a wild pig of the Indonesian genus Babyrousa, whose adult males have long upper canine teeth that curve upward through the snout
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arachnologist
C2+
/əˌrækˈnɑːlədʒɪst/
a scientist who specializes in the study of spiders and other arachnids
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posthouse
C2+
/ˈpoʊsthaʊs/
historical: an inn or relay station where post horses were exchanged and riders or travelers could lodge
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hindfoot
C2+
/ˈhaɪndˌfʊt/
a rear foot of a four-legged animal, especially when contrasted with a forefoot
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fang
C2+
/fæŋ/
a long sharp tooth, as of a snake or dog
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bitch
C2+
/bɪtʃ/
a female dog; (vulgar) a spiteful person or to complain
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carrion
C2+
/ˈkæriən/
the decaying flesh of dead animals
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chum
C2+
/tʃʌm/
a close friend; (verb) to bait water with fish remains to attract fish
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doghouse
C2+
/ˈdɔɡˌhaʊs/
a small shelter for a dog; figuratively, a state of disfavor
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genus
C2+
/ˈdʒinəs/
a taxonomic rank grouping related species above the species level
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badger
C2+
/ˈbædʒɚ/
a burrowing nocturnal mammal; to pester or harass persistently
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hog
C2+
/hɑɡ/
a domesticated pig; also, to take or use selfishly
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hound
C2+
/haʊnd/
a hunting dog; also, to pursue or harass relentlessly
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pest
C2+
/pɛst/
a destructive insect or animal, or an annoying person
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sire
C2+
/ˈsaɪɚ/
a male parent of an animal, or a respectful address to a king
Meaning
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Sound
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snare
C2+
/snɛr/
a trap for catching animals, or anything that entangles
Meaning
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Sound
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