Animals: English Vocabulary List

a framework made of metal bars or wires in which animals or birds can be kept

"The cage is clean."

"The parrot sat inside its large metal cage and repeated every word that the visitors said to it."

a group that animals, plants, etc. of the same type which are capable of producing healthy offspring with each other are divided into

"The panda is a critically endangered species."

"This particular species of orchid is extremely rare and can only be found in a small region of the Amazon rainforest."

a large white bear which lives in the North Pole and is well-adapted to its icy environment

"The polar bear lives in the Arctic."

"The polar bear's thick fur and layer of blubber help it survive in the freezing Arctic temperatures."

a type of bird with a round face, large eyes and a loud call that hunts smaller animals mainly during the night

"The owl is quiet."

"An owl watched from the tree during the night."

a type of large and wild animal that is from the cat family, can run very fast, and has yellow fur that is covered with small black spots

"The cheetah ran fast."

"A cheetah can reach great speed in a very short time."

a large wild animal from the cat family with yellow fur and hollow black spots

"The leopard was spotted."

"The leopard climbed a tree and dragged its prey onto a high branch to keep it safe from lions and hyenas."

a type of deer with large antlers in both sexes, mainly living in cold regions

"The reindeer pulled the sled."

"Reindeer live in cold regions and travel together."

a furry animal with a thick tail that lives in trees and feeds on nuts and seeds

"The squirrel climbed the tree."

"A squirrel stored nuts for winter."

a type of turtle that lives on land and moves very slowly, with a large shell on its back

"The tortoise moved slowly."

"The tortoise lived for many years."

any of the light and soft parts covering the body of a bird

"A beautiful bird feather rested on the windowsill."

"The peacock shed a single blue and green feather which the child picked up from the ground."

a toxic substance produced and secreted by certain animals, typically used for defense or hunting

"The venom is dangerous."

"The snake's venom is powerful enough to kill a human within just a few hours if the victim does not receive the antidote."

to make a short, loud sound that is typical of a dog

"The dog barks at strangers loudly."

"The neighbor's dog started to bark loudly in the middle of the night and woke everyone up."

to secure or attach something or someone using a series of connected links

"Chain the gate shut."

"The dog owner decided to chain his pet to a tree in the yard while he went inside to answer an important phone call."

(of animals) to have sex for breeding or reproduction

"Birds mate during the spring season."

"The birds mate during the spring season and then build a nest to raise their young chicks."

(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."

a class of animals to which humans, cows, lions, etc. belong, have warm blood, fur or hair and typically produce milk to feed their young

"A dog is a mammal."

"A whale is a marine mammal, not a fish, because it breathes air and feeds milk to its young."

a class of animals to which crocodiles, lizards, etc. belong, characterized by having cold blood and scaly skin

"Snakes and lizards are reptiles."

"A reptile is a cold-blooded vertebrate covered in scales"

all wild animals, considered as a whole, living in the natural environment

"Protecting wildlife is important."

"The national park is a sanctuary for diverse wildlife, offering protection to many rare and endangered species."

a particular type of animal or plant that has typically been domesticated by people in a certain way

"The German Shepherd is a loyal dog breed."

"The shepherd decided to breed his best sheep with a champion ram from a neighboring farm."

to make animals produce offspring in a way that is suitable for human beings

"Farmers breed cattle for milk production."

"Rabbits can breed very quickly and produce many offspring in a single year under the right conditions."

an area occupied by an animal or a group of animals that is defended against others

"The territory is large."

"The male wolf howled to mark its territory and warn other packs to stay away from its hunting grounds."

a tailless animal similar to a monkey, such as chimpanzees and gorillas

"The ape climbed the tree."

"The gorilla is a powerful ape that lives in the forests of central Africa and shares about ninety eight percent of human DNA."

a young dog, especially one that is less than a year old

"The puppy is playful."

"The golden retriever puppy chewed on an old shoe because its teeth were growing and the rubber felt good on its sore gums."

an animal's foot that typically has a combination of nails, claws, fur, and pads

"The dog lifted its injured paw off the ground."

"The bear left a huge paw print in the mud near the riverbank where it had been searching for fish."

(of a bird, insect, fish, etc.) to produce eggs

"The hen will lay eggs."

"The hen diligently began to lay her eggs in the prepared nest."

a group of animals of the same type hunting or living together, particularly wolves

"A wolf pack hunts."

"The alpha male led the pack through the dense forest in search of prey."

(of an animal) capable of living with humans, either on a farm or as a pet in a house

"The cat is domestic."

"The domestic cat slept peacefully on the couch while the wild birds sang loudly outside the open window."

to capture an animal using an object called a trap

"Hunters trap animals for their fur."

"The hunters set up a cage to trap the wild animal that had been attacking their livestock at night."