Adjectives Relating to Animals: English Vocabulary List

(of a wild animal) tamed and adapted to live with or to the benefit of humans

"The cat is domesticated."

"The domesticated dog has lived alongside humans for thousands of years and it is one of the most popular pets in the world."

(of an animal, plant, etc.) being at risk of extinction

"The panda is endangered."

"The endangered species list includes the giant panda and conservation efforts have helped increase its population in recent years."

brought from a wild state under human control or accustomed to humans

"The deer is tame."

"The tame deer ate from the children's hands because the animals had grown used to humans visiting the park every day."

possessing or having wings, typically associated with the ability to fly

"The bird is winged."

"The winged insects flew around the light bulb and the cat sat underneath swatting at them with its paw."

describing an animal that is able to maintain a higher body temperature than its surroundings

"Mammals are warm-blooded."

"Warm-blooded animals maintain a constant body temperature regardless of the environment unlike cold-blooded creatures such as reptiles and fish."

describing an animal that its body temperature changes depending on the temperature of its surroundings

"Snakes are cold-blooded."

"Cold-blooded animals rely on external heat sources to warm their bodies so they often bask in the sun on cool mornings."

possessing or producing a toxin that is injected or delivered into another organism through a bite, sting, or other means

"The snake is venomous."

"The venomous snake bite can be deadly and the hiker was lucky to reach the hospital before the poison spread through his body."

describing an animal of a specific breed having parents from the same breed, ensuring consistent lineage and genetic characteristics

"She owns a purebred poodle."

"The purebred puppy cost thousands of dollars but the family wanted a dog with a known medical history and predictable temperament."

(of animals or birds) moving from one place to another, often with the changing seasons

"These birds are migratory."

"The migratory birds fly south every winter and return north in the spring to nest and raise their young."

having an abundant covering or coat of soft, dense hair or fur

"The bunny is furry."

"The furry rabbit felt soft and warm when the child held it and she promised to take good care of her new pet."

light and soft in texture, giving a feeling of coziness or warmth

"My cat is fluffy."

"The fluffy kitten looked like a small cloud of cotton and the children begged their parents to let them keep it."

(of animals) having returned to a wild state

"The cat is feral."

"The feral cats lived in the abandoned warehouse and a kind woman left food for them every evening."

(of animals) capable of surviving both on land and in water

"Frogs are amphibious."

"Frogs are amphibious and can live both in water and on land without any problem."

related to or adapted for living or functioning in water

"Whales are aquatic."

"The aquatic turtle spends most of its life in water but it comes onto land to lay its eggs in the sand."

(of an animal, plant, etc.) not having any living members, either due to natural causes, environmental changes, or human activity

"The dinosaur is extinct."

"The dinosaur has been extinct for millions of years and we only know about them from fossils."