animal kingdom

American  

noun

animal kingdoms plural

1. the animals of the world collectively.

---

animal kingdom British  

noun

1. a category of living organisms comprising all animals Compare plant kingdom mineral kingdom

---

animal kingdom Cultural  

1. The group of living things typically distinguished from members of the plant kingdom by the power of moving from place to place and by a metabolism that does not use photosynthesis.

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• animal kingdoms
  plural

Etymology

Origin of animal kingdom

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

animal kingdom

The creatures I’m mentioning here aren’t flukes in the animal kingdom.

From Slate ● May 10, 2026

Showing Attenborough's cross-generational appeal, US singer-songwriter Billie Eilish has praised his "deep love and knowledge of our planet", adding: "The animal kingdom brings out the childlike curiosity within us all."

From Barron's ● May 6, 2026

At the same time, this type of locomotion is uncommon across the animal kingdom, possibly because it can interfere with other important activities such as burrowing, mating and feeding.

From Science Daily ● May 2, 2026

But examining the animal kingdom for answers can only tell us so much.

From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2026

Consider this: A jellyfish sting is one of the fastest reactions in the animal kingdom.

From "The Thing About Jellyfish" by Ali Benjamin