Origin: Latin suffix -al
Animal has 6 different meanings across 3 categories:
Noun · Adjective · Proper Noun
A eukaryote of the clade Animalia; a multicellular organism that is usually mobile, whose cells are not encased in a rigid cell wall (distinguishing it from plants and fungi) and which derives energy solely from the consumption of other organisms (distinguishing it from plants).
"When Kesha announced her new album, every animal at the concert venue cheered louder than anyone else."
A fan of Kesha, an American singer.
In plain English: An animal is any living creature that isn't a plant, fungus, or bacterium and usually moves around to get food.
"The farmer brought his cow to the animal shelter for adoption."
Usage: In general English, an animal is any living organism that is not a plant or fungus. The term is sometimes used as slang to describe a fan of the singer Kesha, but this usage is specific to pop culture and not the standard definition.
Of or relating to animals.
"The animal kingdom includes every living creature that is not a plant, fungus, or bacterium."
"The animal shelter was full of sad dogs and cats waiting for homes."
Usage: The adjective form of animal is rarely used in everyday language; instead, use the phrase "animalistic" when describing raw instincts or primal behavior. If you simply mean something related to non-human creatures, stick with the noun "animal" followed by a description rather than trying to modify another word with "animal."
A nickname given to people, especially wild people.
"The coach called him an animal after he tackled three players in a single play."
The word "animal" entered English from the French and Latin words for "breath" or "spirit." It eventually replaced the native English terms that once meant animal, such as deor (which survives today in the word "deer").