Definitions for: Animal


[n] a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
[adj] of the nature of or characteristic of or derived from an animal or animals; "the animal kingdom"; "animal instincts"; "animal fats"



Webster (1913) Definition: An"i*mal, n. [L., fr. anima breath, soul: cf. F.
animal. See Animate.]
1. An organized living being endowed with sensation and the
power of voluntary motion, and also characterized by
taking its food into an internal cavity or stomach for
digestion; by giving carbonic acid to the air and taking
oxygen in the process of respiration; and by increasing in
motive power or active aggressive force with progress to
maturity.

2. One of the lower animals; a brute or beast, as
distinguished from man; as, men and animals.


An"i*mal, a. [Cf. F. animal.]
1. Of or relating to animals; as, animal functions.

2. Pertaining to the merely sentient part of a creature, as
distinguished from the intellectual, rational, or
spiritual part; as, the animal passions or appetites.

3. Consisting of the flesh of animals; as, animal food.

Animal magnetism. See Magnetism and Mesmerism.

Animal electricity, the electricity developed in some
animals, as the electric eel, torpedo, etc.

Animal flower (Zo["o]l.), a name given to certain marine
animals resembling a flower, as any species of actinia or
sea anemone, and other Anthozoa, hydroids, starfishes,
etc.

Animal heat (Physiol.), the heat generated in the body of a
living animal, by means of which the animal is kept at
nearly a uniform temperature.

Animal spirits. See under Spirit.

Animal kingdom, the whole class of beings endowed with
animal life. It embraces several subkingdoms, and under
these there are Classes, Orders, Families, Genera,
Species, and sometimes intermediate groupings, all in
regular subordination, but variously arranged by different
writers.

Note: The following are the grand divisions, or subkingdoms,
and the principal classes under them, generally
recognized at the present time:

Synonyms: animallike, animate being, beast, birdlike, brute, cranelike, creature, fauna, fishlike, horselike, insectlike

Antonyms: mineral, vegetable

See Also: acrodont, adult, animal kingdom, animal tissue, Animalia, being, biped, captive, caput, chordate, conceptus, creepy-crawly, critter, darter, dead animal, domestic animal, embryo, face, female, fertilized egg, fictional animal, game, giant, head, herbivore, insectivore, invertebrate, kingdom Animalia, larva, male, marine animal, mate, metazoan, migrator, molter, moulter, mutant, offspring, omnivore, organism, peeper, pet, pleurodont, predator, predatory animal, prey, pureblood, purebred, quarry, racer, scavenger, sea animal, stayer, stunt, survivor, thoroughbred, varment, varmint, vermin, work animal, young, zooplankton

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