animals

/ˈæn.ɪ.məlz/

IPA: /AE1 N AH0 M AH0 L Z/

noun
  1. 1

    In scientific usage, 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).

    A cat is an animal, not a plant. Humans are also animals, under the scientific definition, as we are not plants.

  2. 2

    In non-scientific usage, any member of the kingdom Animalia other than a human.

    syn:beast
  3. 3

    In non-scientific usage, any land-living vertebrate (i.e. not fishes, insects, etc.).

  4. 4

    A person who behaves wildly; a bestial, brutal, brutish, cruel, or inhuman person.

    My students are animals.

  5. 5

    A person of a particular type.

    He's a political animal.

  6. 6

    Matter, thing.

    a whole different animal

Source: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/animal, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/animals