I. an ‧ i ‧ mal 1 S1 W1 /ˈænəm ə l, ˈænɪm ə l/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: animalis 'having life' , from anima 'soul' ]
1 . a living creature such as a dog or cat, that is not an insect, plant, bird, fish, or person:
furry little animals
wild/domestic/farm animals
cattle, sheep, and other domestic animals
The cosmetics have not been tested on animals.
Beth is an animal lover (=someone who likes animals) .
2 . any living creature that is not a plant or a person:
He can’t stand cruelty to animals of any sort.
the animal welfare movement in Britain
the enormous diversity of the animal kingdom
3 . any living creature, including people:
Man is a highly intelligent animal.
4 . informal someone who behaves in a cruel, violent, or very rude way:
Football hooligans are just animals.
5 . a (very/completely/entirely) different animal informal something that is very different from the thing you have mentioned:
Writing email is a very different animal from all other forms of writing.
6 . a political/social etc animal informal someone who is interested in politics, in meeting other people etc:
He is simply not a social animal.
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THESAURUS
▪ animal a living thing such as a dog, cow, or tiger, but not an insect, fish, or bird:
farm animals such as cows, sheep, and pigs
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People are becoming more concerned about animal welfare.
▪ creature /ˈkriːtʃə $ -ər/ an animal – used especially when describing a particular animal’s characteristics or when referring to animals generally:
The cheetah is a magnificent creature.
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all the living creatures in the sea
▪ beast an animal, especially a large or dangerous one:
To most people, lions are savage beasts.
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a wild beast
▪ living thing an animal considered as one of a group of things that grow and then die, including humans and plants:
The only living things we saw were dogs and cats.
▪ species /ˈspiːʃiːz/ a group of animals whose members are similar and can breed together to produce young animals:
Seven species of birds of prey have been observed.
▪ mammal an animal that drinks milk from its mother’s body when it is young:
Humans, dogs, and whales are all mammals.
▪ vertebrate a living creature that has a backbone:
viruses that affect chickens, monkeys, and most other vertebrates
▪ invertebrate a living creature that does not have a backbone:
earthworms and other small invertebrates
II. animal 2 BrE AmE adjective
1 . animal urges/instincts etc human feelings, desires etc that are connected with sex, food, and other basic needs
2 . animal products/fats/protein etc things that are made or come from animals:
a diet rich in red meat and animal fats