Animalian

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to or characteristic of members of the kingdom Animalia, possessing traits typical of fauna rather than plants or other life forms
2. Relating to attributes or features typical of living beings classified within the kingdom of Animalia, distinguishing them from other organisms like plants and fungi
3. Pertaining to the characteristics and behaviors of organisms classified under Animalia, showcasing traits that differentiate them from flora and fungi

Etymology: "Animalian" is one of those words that sounds like it should have an ancient pedigree but is simply a plain piece of English word-building. It is formed from "animal," which came into English from Latin "animal," meaning a living creature, itself derived from "anima," breath or soul, and the adjective-forming suffix "-ian," which English uses to make words meaning "relating to" or "characteristic of" something, as in "Italian" or "Victorian." Put together, the pieces mean roughly "pertaining to animals," and the word's sense follows directly from them. It describes things belonging to the realm of living creatures, rather than, say, things that are merely physical or inanimate. Because the formation is so transparent, the word carries no hidden twist of meaning: a reader meets "animalian" and can work out its sense at once, which is precisely what the suffix was built to allow.

Synonyms: animal, zoological, faunal