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animal:


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Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
animal/ˈanɪml/
noun
  • 1 a living organism which is typically distinguished from a plant by feeding on organic matter, having specialized sense organs and nervous system, and being able to move about and to respond rapidly to stimuli.

    ■ a mammal, as opposed to a bird, reptile, fish, or insect.

  • 2 a very cruel, violent, or uncivilized person.
  • 3 a particular type of person or thing: a political animal.
adjective
  • 1 relating to or characteristic of animals.
  • 2 of the flesh rather than the spirit or intellect: animal lust.
  • 3 Biology denoting the pole or extremity of an embryo containing the more active cytoplasm. The opposite of vegetal.
– derivatives
animalization (or animalisation) noun,
animalize (or animalise) verb.
– origin ME: from L., based on animalis ‘having breath’ from anima ‘breath’.



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