The Animal Kingdom: English Vocabulary List

(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."

any animal in the cat family

"The shelter rescued several injured feline animals"

"The veterinarian examined the injured feline with great care."

any of the long, stiff hairs that grow on the face of a cat, mouse, etc.

"The cat's long whiskers twitched as it sniffed the air curiously."

"A cat uses its whiskers to sense nearby objects and navigate safely through dark or narrow spaces."

each of the curved pointy teeth of some animals such as elephants, boars, etc., especially one that stands out from the closed mouth

"The elephant's tusks were very long."

"A tusk is an elongated, curved tooth that sticks out from the mouth of some animals."

the long and protruding facial part of an animal which comprises its nose and mouth, especially in a mammal

"The dog has a wet snout."

"A snout is the projecting nose and mouth of an animal"

a long, pointed tooth found in carnivorous animals, used for biting, gripping, and tearing flesh

"The snake sank its sharp fang into the leg of the mouse."

"The venomous snake used its long hollow fangs to inject poison into the small mouse before swallowing it whole."

the animals of a particular geological period or region

"The island has unique fauna found nowhere else."

"The island has a unique fauna that includes several species of birds and reptiles found nowhere else on Earth because of its long isolation from the mainland."

a place where a wild animal lives, hides, or takes refuge

"Hidden animal lair found."

"The hunter discovered the hidden animal lair deep in the dark forest last week carefully."

small animals or insects that are believed to be destructive and are difficult to handle when they appear in a considerable number

"The warehouse suffered from vermin infestation recently"

"The old barn was overrun with vermin, so the owner called an exterminator immediately."

(of some animals or plants) to spend the winter sleeping deeply

"Bears hibernate during winter."

"Some animals like bears and hedgehogs hibernate during the cold winter months to conserve energy."

any animal that lives by hunting and eating other animals

"The lion is a powerful predator."

"A predator is an animal that hunts"

a bird, such as an eagle or a hawk, that feeds on animal flesh

"The eagle is a powerful bird of prey."

"The eagle is a powerful bird of prey that hunts rabbits and other small animals from high above."

a short sharp sound characteristic of a bird or an insect

"Bird makes pleasant chirp."

"The small bird makes a pleasant chirp sound every morning outside the window happily."

a bird that is too young to leave the nest built by its parents, especially one that has not yet learned how to fly

"Young nestling fed."

"The mother bird feeds her young nestling with worms and insects every day in the nest."

the feathers of a bird covering its body

"Colorful plumage shines."

"The bird has beautiful colorful plumage that shines in the sunlight during the day."

a sea creature with a hard shell and jointed legs such as crabs and lobsters

"Crab is a crustacean."

"Crustaceans have hard exoskeletons and jointed legs."

a class of terrestrial arthropods that breathe air and have four pairs of limbs, such as spiders, scorpions, etc.

"Spiders are arachnids."

"Arachnids have eight legs and no antennae."

a parasitic flatworm that is shaped like a ribbon and lives in the intestines of mammals

"Intestinal tapeworm treated."

"The doctor treated the patient for an intestinal tapeworm infection last month successfully."

a small wingless insect that is silvery and nocturnal, which feeds on paper products or clothing

"Silverfish insect pest."

"The silverfish insect is a small pest that eats paper and books in damp places."

an invertebrate animal with a segmented body and a chitinous exoskeleton, such as a spider, crab, etc.

"Arthropods have exoskeletons."

"Insects and spiders are arthropods."

an arthropod with many pairs of legs and a pair of poisonous fangs

"Long centipede crawled."

"A long centipede crawled quickly across the bathroom floor last night suddenly."

the stage of the metamorphosis that comes between the larval and adult stages of a moth or butterfly

"The butterfly emerged from its chrysalis."

"The caterpillar hung upside down and formed a chrysalis where it would transform into a butterfly."

a silky covering that the larvae of some insects make around themselves during metamorphosis

"Silk cocoon protects."

"The silk cocoon protects the developing insect inside until it is ready to emerge as an adult."

a young form of an insect or an animal that has come out of the egg but has not yet developed into an adult

"The larva will become a butterfly."

"A larva is the immature form of an insect that hatches from an egg before becoming an adult."

the hard outer covering that supports the body of an animal, such as an arthropod

"Crabs protect themselves using a strong exoskeleton"

"The beetle's exoskeleton protected it from predators."

a small parasitic insect that lives and feeds on the body of warm-blooded animals

"Head louse problem."

"The child had a head louse problem that required special treatment last month."

any invertebrate that lives in aquatic or damp habitats and has a soft unsegmented body, often covered with a shell

"The mollusk has a shell."

"The child found a colorful mollusk on the beach."

a parasitic or predatory worm of the annelid family that lives in freshwaters and drinks blood by attaching itself to its prey

"Blood sucking leech attached."

"The blood sucking leech attached itself to the swimmer's leg in the lake yesterday."

a member of the dog family, including domestic dogs, wolves, foxes, and related animals

"The vet cares for all canine patients with great kindness."

"The canine rescue team worked tirelessly through the night to find the missing hikers in the forest."

wild animals or birds that are hunted for food or sport

"Hunters seek game."

"The dense woods provided ample cover for the various game animals sought by the hunters."

(of sheep, cows, etc.) to feed on the grass in a field

"Sheep graze here."

"The peaceful herd of sheep was content to graze lazily on the lush green meadow all afternoon."

a group of newly-born mammals from the same mother

"The cat had a litter."

"The mother dog lovingly watched over her entire litter of playful puppies."

an animal that is hunted and eaten by another animal

"The tiger silently stalked its unsuspecting prey."

"The eagle spotted its prey moving in the tall grass and prepared to dive down to catch it."

a prominent feature exhibited by some birds on their heads, consisting of feathers, fur, or skin

"The bird showed its crest."

"The cockatoo proudly displayed its magnificent crest, fanning it out when agitated."

a domesticated bird that is particularly kept for its meat and eggs

"Domestic fowl raised."

"Farmers raise domestic fowl for eggs and meat production every year successfully."

to keep an egg in a favorable condition to help it develop until it hatches

"The eggs incubate under the hen."

"The eggs need to incubate at a constant warm temperature for about three weeks before they hatch."

a long, sharp nail on the foot of some birds, especially birds of prey

"The eagle grabbed prey using sharp talons"

"The hawk gripped the branch with its sharp talons."

a marine invertebrate with a body full of holes through which water can circulate and nutrients can be absorbed

"The sponge absorbed water."

"The absorbent sponge was used to clean the dirty kitchen counter effectively yesterday morning."

a large number of fish or sea mammals that swim together

"A school of fish swam."

"Divers marveled at the synchronized movements of the massive school of tuna in the deep ocean."

an edible marine shellfish living in sand or mud

"Fresh clam shell found."

"The fresh clam shell was found on the beach during our morning walk last weekend."