creature

noun

crea·​ture ˈkrē-chər 

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

ˈkrē-chə-rəl 

adjective

creaturehood

ˈkrē-chər-ˌhu̇d 

noun

creatureliness

ˈkrē-chər-lē-nəs 

noun

creaturely

ˈkrē-chər-lē 

adjective

Synonyms

• baby
• being
• bird
• bod [British]
• body
• character
• cookie
• cooky
• customer
• devil
• duck
• egg
• face
• fish
• guy
• head
• human
• human being
• individual
• life
• man
• mortal
• party
• person
• personage
• scout
• slob
• sort
• soul
• specimen
• stiff
• thing
• wight

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

Sten Lennart Jakobsen/East Zealand Museum About 66 million years ago, just before the mass extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs, a fish chewed up and spit out some sea creatures. —James Doubek, NPR, 29 Jan. 2025

Read Next California Hundreds of sea creatures leap from California waters. —Paloma Chavez, Sacramento Bee, 28 Jan. 2025

In the karst, rocky limestone landscape of Thailand, a group of green creatures hides in the shadows. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 28 Jan. 2025

Arthropods—whether crabs or cockroaches—developed their own version: joints in their exoskeletons that allow these creatures to bend and scuttle. —Bethany Brookshire, Scientific American, 25 Jan. 2025

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

Phrases Containing creature

• creature comfort
• creature of habit

Kids Definition

creature

noun

crea·​ture ˈkrē-chər 

1

: a created being

2

a

: a lower animal

b

: individual sense 2