26984 words

animal

12 definitions • 19 examples
1
something that lives and moves but is not a human, bird, fish, or insect:

Examples:

Both children are real animal lovers.
Surveys show that animal welfare has recently become a major concern for many schoolchildren.
2
anything that lives and moves, including people, birds, etc.:

Examples:

3
an unpleasant, cruel person or someone who behaves badly:

Examples:

He's a real animal when he's had too much to drink.
4
used to describe what type of person or thing someone or something is:

Examples:

At heart she is a political animal.
She is that rare animal (= she is very unusual), a brilliant scientist who can communicate her ideas to ordinary people.
Feminism in France and England are rather different animals (= are different).
5
made or obtained from an animal or animals:

Examples:

animal products
animal fat/skins
6
relating to, or taking the form of, an animal or animals rather than a plant or human being:

Examples:

The island was devoid of all animal life (= there were no animals on the island).
7
relating to physical desires or needs, and not spiritual or mental ones:

Examples:

As an actor, he has a sort of animal magnetism.
She knew that Dave wasn't the right man for her but she couldn't deny the animal attraction between them.
8
a living thing that can move and eat and react to the world through its senses, esp. of sight and hearing:

Examples:

9
In ordinary use, animal means all living beings except humans:

Examples:

A lion is a wild animal, and a dog is a domestic animal.
Tests of the drug were done on laboratory animals.
10
An animal is also a person who likes something or does something more than most people do:

Examples:

a party animal
He’s the most political animal on the city council.
11
one of five kingdoms (= groups) into which living things are divided, the members of which have many cells, have the ability to control their own movement, and get their energy from eating rather than from the light of the sun
12
relating to physical needs or desires, such as to eat or reproduce:

Examples:

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