creature

noun

crea·​ture ˈkrē-chər How to pronounce creature (audio)
1
: something created either animate or inanimate: such as
a
: a lower animal
especially : a farm animal
b
: a human being
c
: a being of anomalous or uncertain aspect or nature
creatures of fantasy
2
: one that is the servile dependent or tool of another : instrument
creatural adjective
creaturehood noun
creatureliness noun
creaturely adjective

Examples of creature in a Sentence

rabbits, squirrels, and other furry creatures Few living creatures can survive without water. a giant hairy apelike creature She's a creature of rare beauty. A social creature by nature, he loves working with people. The poor creature had no way to get home.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Once a reasonable ruler, King Solon (Javier Bardem) is now a speechless blue beast — albeit the cartoon-cute version of a rhinoceros-size creature, sporting an endearing underbite and an easily distractable, dog-like personality. Peter Debruge, Variety, 22 Nov. 2024 Even in an era of record-breaking species loss, the wild corners of the Earth may still harbor creatures long feared extinct. Kate Wheeling, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Nov. 2024 Not a very dignified pose for a creature called Noble, but humans love to saddle animals with teasingly grand names—Rex, Princess, King, Queenie. Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024 Another recent work, Goblin Girl (2021), shows a green-skinned creature, her face scrunched up in an indescribable expression—a silly grin, perhaps, or maybe something more menacing. Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for creature 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Late Latin creātūra "act of bringing into being, something brought into being," from Latin creātus, past participle of creāre "to beget, give birth to, create entry 1" + -ūra

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of creature was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near creature

Cite this Entry

“Creature.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/creature. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

creature

noun
crea·​ture ˈkrē-chər How to pronounce creature (audio)
1
: a created being
2
a
: a lower animal

More from Merriam-Webster on creature

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