animal

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Any member of the kingdom Animalia of multicellular organisms that are usually mobile, whose cells are not encased in a rigid cell wall (distinguishing them from plants and fungi) and which derive energy solely from the consumption of other organisms (further distinguishing them from plants).

   Near-synonym: critter

2. 2
   noun

   A higher animal; an animal related to humans.

   When he's hungry my toddler opens his mouth like an animal instead of asking us to feed him.

3. 3
   noun

   A person who behaves wildly; a bestial, brutal, brutish, cruel, or inhuman person.

   My students are animals.

4. 4
   noun

   A person of a particular type specified by an adjective.

   He's a political animal.

5. 5
   noun

   Matter, thing.

   a whole different animal

6. 6
   adj

   Of or relating to animals.

   animal instincts

7. 7
   adj

   Raw, base, unhindered by social codes.

   animal passions

8. 8
   adj

   Pertaining to the spirit or soul; relating to sensation or innervation.

   To explain what activated the flesh, ‘animal spirits’ were posited, superfine fluids which shuttled between the mind and the vitals, conveying messages and motion.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂enh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *h₂enh₁mos Proto-Italic *anamos Latin animus Latin anima Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin animālis Latin animalder. Old French animalbor. Middle English animal English animal From Middle English animal, from Old French animal, from Latin animal, a nominal use of the adjective form animāle, neuter of animālis, from anima (“breath, spirit”). Displaced native Middle English deor, der (“animal”) (whence modern English deer; from Old English dēor (“animal”)), Middle English…