animal

noun

• a living organism which feeds on organic matter, typically having specialized sense organs and nervous system and able to respond rapidly to stimuli: wild animals adapt badly to a caged life humans are the only animals who weep
• any such living organism other than a human being:are humans superior to animals, or just different?
• a mammal, as opposed to a bird, reptile, fish, or insect:the snowfall seemed to have chased all birds, animals, and men indoors
• a person without human attributes or civilizing influences, especially someone who is very cruel, violent, or repulsive:those men have to be animals—what they did to that boy was savage
• [with adjective or noun modifier] a particular type of person or thing:I am a political animal property development was a different animal altogether

adjective

• 1relating to or characteristic of animals:the evolution of animal life animal welfare
• of animals as distinct from plants:tissues of animal and vegetable protein
• characteristic of the physical and instinctive needs of animals; of the flesh rather than the spirit or intellect:a crude surrender to animal lust

• 2 Biology relating to or denoting the pole or extremity of an embryo that contains the more active cytoplasm in the early stages of development. The opposite of vegetal.