Animal
/ˈænɪməl/
nounA1
Definition
An animal is a living thing that can move by itself and usually eats food to live. Animals are different from plants because they can move and have senses like sight and hearing. Examples of animals are dogs, cats, birds, and fish.
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⚡ See It in Action
A living creature that is not a plant or human
- •The dog is a friendly animal.
- •Lions are wild animals that live in the forest.
- •Many animals live in the zoo.
Sometimes used to describe a person who acts wild or strong (informal)
- •He’s an animal on the soccer field, very fast and strong.
- •Don’t be such an animal; calm down!
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "animal" like "dog" or "cat," but "animal" means all living creatures that move and eat, not just one kind
- ✓Picture a dog running outside, a bird flying in the sky, or a fish swimming in water
- ✓It's the feeling of seeing a pet or a wild creature moving and being alive
- ✓Sounds like "AN-i-mal" → imagine a friendly animal like a dog saying "Ann, I’m a mall animal!" to help remember
- ✓Think of the story of Noah’s Ark where many animals came two by two, all different kinds of living creatures
- ✓NOT like "plant" (which stays still and makes food from sunlight), animals move and eat food
- ✓NOT like "human" (people), but humans are a special kind of animal with more thinking ability
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Beast: a large or wild animal (Use when talking about big or wild animals, often in stories or old language)
- •Creature: any living thing (Use when you want a general word for living things, sometimes including imaginary ones)
- •Pet: an animal kept for friendship (Use when talking about animals that live with people)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: "anim-" means life or spirit + "-al" a suffix making it a noun meaning "thing that has life"
- •Etymology: From Latin "animalis," meaning "living being" or "having breath"
- •Historical development: Used since ancient times to describe all living beings that move and breathe
- •Modern usage: Used today for all living creatures except plants and humans (humans are animals but often spoken about separately)
💭 Reflect & Connect
•What animals do you see around your home or city, and how do they affect your daily life?
•How do people treat animals differently in different countries or cultures?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.A dog is an animal that can ___ and eat food like meat or bones.
2.Animals are different from plants because animals can ___ by themselves.
3.When someone says "He’s an animal on the field," they mean he plays ___ and strongly.
4.Zoos have many different kinds of animals ___ from the wild.
5.Some people keep an animal as a ___ to live with them and be their friend.
6.Animals need food and water to ___, just like humans.
7.Unlike plants, animals usually have ___ to see, hear, or feel things around them.