Critter

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkɹɪtɚ/

Definitions

1. A casual term used to describe any small animal or creature that may include insects, mammals, or other minor living beings
2. An informal expression for little creatures that can encompass a range of small wildlife or organisms, often those that are less significant in size
3. A informal name for any small living creature, often used to refer to various tiny animals or insects

Etymology: "Critter" is a dialectal pronunciation of "creature," with the pronunciation worn down over time so that the middle syllable dropped away. The clipped form first appears in print in 1815, which means it was already circulating in speech before anyone wrote it down. The word has kept the sense of "creature" but lost much of its formality. Where "creature" can suggest anything from a beast to a human being, "critter" tends to call up small, lively animals, and in everyday speech it often covers insects and other tiny living things.

Synonyms: creature, animal, being, organism, lifeform