Animals · Nouns — English Vocabulary

a small creature such as a bee or ant that has six legs, and generally one or two pairs of wings

"An ant is a social insect living in a colony."

"A stick insect is a master of camouflage, perfectly blending into branches to avoid being detected."

a small animal that has soft fur, a tail, and four legs and we often keep it as a pet

"The black cat crossed the street."

"The black cat stretched lazily on the windowsill enjoying the warm afternoon sunlight."

an animal that is large, has a tail and four legs, and we use for racing, pulling carriages, riding, etc.

"The horse is fast."

"He rides a horse every weekend at the farm."

an animal that is very large, has thick gray skin, four legs, a very long nose that is called a trunk, and mostly lives in Asia and Africa

"The elephant sprayed water with its trunk."

"The elephant used its trunk to spray water over its back to cool down on the hot African plain where the temperature often exceeded one hundred degrees during summer."

a powerful and large animal that is from the cat family and mostly found in Africa, with the male having a large mane

"The lion is the king of beasts."

"The male lion rested in the shade of a large acacia tree while the lionesses hunted for food to feed the entire pride."

a type of large and wild animal that is from the cat family, has orange fur and black stripes, and is mostly found in Asia

"The tiger is very strong."

"The tiger hid in the forest before the visitors arrived."

a large, wild animal with long legs which eats grass and can run very fast, typically the males have horns

"A deer stood near the trees."

"We saw a deer in the woods while walking quietly."

a large Australian animal with a long tail and two strong legs that moves by leaping, female of which can carry its babies in its stomach pocket which is called a pouch

"The kangaroo hopped away."

"Kangaroos cannot walk backward because their large tail and powerful hind legs are specifically adapted for hopping forward efficiently."

a tall animal with a very long neck and long legs that has brown spots on its yellow fur

"The giraffe ate leaves."

"A giraffe's neck can be up to two meters long containing the same number of vertebrae as a human neck which is seven."

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 large reptile with very big jaws, sharp teeth, short legs, and a hard skin and long tail that lives in rivers and lakes in warmer regions

"The crocodile lay still in the water."

"The crocodile lay silently in the water with only its eyes and nostrils visible above the surface."

an African ape which has a large head and short neck that looks like a monkey with no tail

"The gorilla looked powerful."

"Gorillas live in family groups led by a dominant silverback male who protects the group from predators and resolves internal conflicts peacefully."

a tree-dwelling Australian mammal with gray fur and large ears that feeds on eucalyptus leaves

"The koala slept in the eucalyptus tree."

"The koala slept for twenty hours a day because its diet of eucalyptus leaves provides very little energy."

a farm animal that we keep to use its meat or wool

"The sheep are in the field."

"A sheep is grazing quietly near the fence."

a farm animal that has short legs, a curly tail, and a fat body, typically raised for its meat

"The pig rolled in the mud."

"The pig looked happy and very healthy on the farm."

a small, soft creature which carries a hard shell on its back and moves very slowly

"A snail moved slowly."

"The snail moved slowly across the garden path leaving a trail of slime behind that helped it glide smoothly over rough surfaces."

a group of animals with a long body and tail, a rough skin and two pairs of short legs

"A lizard sat on the wall."

"Lizards can detach their tails when grabbed by a predator allowing them to escape while the detached tail continues to wiggle and distract the attacker."

a venomous arachnid with two pincers and a curved tail that inhabits hot countries

"The scorpion hid under a rock."

"The scorpion glowed under ultraviolet light which helped researchers find and study the venomous creatures at night."

an animal that has a hard shell around its body and lives mainly in water

"The turtle moved slowly."

"The sea turtle returned to the exact beach where it was born decades earlier to lay its own eggs guided by the Earth magnetic field."

a small green animal with smooth skin, long legs for jumping and no tail, that lives both in water and on land

"The frog jumped into the pond."

"The frog's permeable skin absorbs water and oxygen but also makes it highly sensitive to pollution."

a large mammal that looks like a bear with black and white fur and eats bamboos, usually found in China

"The panda ate bamboo at the zoo."

"The giant panda spends up to fourteen hours each day eating bamboo to meet its nutritional needs."

a large farm animal that we keep to use its milk or its meat

"The cow gives milk."

"A cow was standing under the tree all morning."

a large wild animal belonging to the cat family with a yellow fur covered with black spots, native to Central and South America

"The jaguar hunted at night."

"The elusive jaguar, with its distinctive spotted coat, moved stealthily through the Amazonian jungle."

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 playful and intelligent animal that has a long tail and usually lives in trees and warm countries

"The monkey climbed the tree."

"A monkey likes to eat bananas and play with objects."

an intelligent ape, with mainly black fur, which has no tail and is native to the forests of western and central Africa

"A chimpanzee climbed the tree."

"Chimpanzees share about ninety eight percent of their DNA with humans making them our closest living relatives in the animal kingdom."

a small animal of the rodent family, similar to a mouse, with a short tail and large cheeks for storing food

"My hamster is small and cute."

"The hamster is sleeping in its cage after eating."

a slim furry animal with a long tail that is domesticated and is used for catching rabbits, rats, etc.

"The ferret chased the mouse."

"The playful ferret, with its long body, darted through the tunnel."

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 small animal with a thick tail, gray-brown fur and black marks on its face

"A raccoon searched the trash."

"Raccoons have remarkably dexterous front paws that allow them to open trash cans doors and even jars which makes them clever urban pests."

an animal that is like a horse but has shorter legs and longer ears, and is used for carrying things and riding

"The donkey carried heavy bags up the hill."

"Donkeys are often used as pack animals in mountainous regions because they are sure footed and can carry heavy loads over rough terrain without complaint."

an animal with a beak, wings, and feathers that is usually capable of flying

"A robin is a bird."

"The colorful bird sat quietly on the branch and sang a beautiful song to attract a mate."

an animal with a tail, gills and fins that lives in water

"A shark is a fish."

"The fisherman caught a large fish that was too heavy to lift into the boat by himself."

an animal with a tail and four legs that we keep as a pet and is famous for its sense of loyalty

"The dog barked loudly."

"Their dog is friendly and always greets visitors at the door."

a large animal with sharp claws and thick fur, which eats meat, honey, insects, and fruits

"The bear caught a fish in the river."

"The bear wandered into the campsite looking for food and frightened the campers who were cooking dinner."

an animal that is small, eats plants, has a short tail, long ears, and soft fur

"The rabbit ate the carrot."

"The rabbit quickly disappeared into its underground burrow when it heard the footsteps of a predator approaching through the tall grass of the field."

a small to medium-sized carnivorous mammal with a pointed muzzle and bushy tail, often have reddish-brown fur and are known for being clever and adaptable

"The fox ran into the forest."

"A fox is a clever animal that survives in many places."

a legless, long, and thin animal whose bite may be dangerous

"The snake is dangerous."

"The hiker froze when she saw a long black snake lying on the trail in front of her because she was afraid it might be venomous."

a small soft-bodied animal with an elongated body that lacks limbs and eyes

"The bird ate a worm."

"The gardener found a wriggling worm in the soil and placed it back carefully to improve aeration."

a sea animal with a shell, a pair of strong, large claws and eight legs

"The lobster has claws."

"Lobsters continue to grow throughout their entire lives and can live to be over one hundred years old if they avoid predators and disease."

a large desert animal with a long neck and one or two humps on its back

"The camel walked slowly in the desert."

"A camel can live in hot places and travel long distances."

a big and wild animal from the same family as dogs that hunts for food in groups

"A wolf howled at night."

"The wolf howled loudly in the distance, signaling the pack was ready to hunt together under the moonlight."

a large mouse-like animal with a long tail, which spreads diseases

"A rat ran behind the wall."

"Rats are highly intelligent animals that can learn complex tasks but they are also carriers of diseases that have caused major epidemics throughout human history."

a semiaquatic rodent with a wide tail and strong teeth that builds dams across streams and is mainly found in the Northern hemisphere

"A beaver built a dam across the river"

"Beavers build dams and lodges with their strong teeth."

a small animal that lives in fields or houses, and often has fur, a long furless thin tail, and a pointed nose

"A mouse ran across the floor."

"The tiny mouse quickly disappeared behind the old wooden cabinet in the corner."

a small carnivorous mammal with red-brown fur and a long slender body

"The weasel was quick."

"With sleek, reddish fur and a lithe body, the weasel darted through the undergrowth in pursuit of prey."

a herbivorous mammal that is known for moving very slowly, which hangs from the trees and lives in tropical rainforests of South and Central America

"The sloth moves very slowly."

"The sloth moves so slowly that algae sometimes grows on its fur providing natural camouflage in trees."

a small flying creature that comes out at night

"A bat flew out at dusk."

"Bats use echolocation to navigate in complete darkness by emitting high frequency sounds and listening carefully to the returning echoes from objects."

‌an animal with horns and a coat of hair that lives wild in the mountains or is kept on farms for its milk or meat

"The goat climbed the steep hill."

"The goat climbed the steep rocky cliff with ease searching for sparse patches of grass to eat."

a small furry animal with rounded ears, short legs and no tail, which is often kept as a pet or for research

"The guinea pig is cute."

"Guinea pigs are social animals that become depressed if kept alone so veterinarians recommend adopting at least two so they can keep each other company."