creaturely

C3R1E1A1T1U1R1E1L1Y4

adjective

Characteristic of or suitable to a creature, often specifically a non-human animal.

Scrabble 15

Meanings

adjectivecreaturely (comparative more creaturely, superlative most creaturely)

comparative more creaturely · superlative most creaturely

  1. Characteristic of or suitable to a creature, often specifically a non-human animal.

    Bracketed by two roiling group passages, smaller dances slink by, marked by much creaturely creeping and carnivorous eroticism.

    2007 March 5, Claudia La Rocco, “Infernal Shades, Apparitions at Dusk, Spirits Who Tango”, in New York Times
    1 more example

    Crammed like a biblical ark with creaturely wonders, “The Birds of America” conveys a sense of summation, although its chronicle of American bird life is far from complete.

    2024 May 8, Danny Heitman, “Audubon’s exquisite bird paintings owe a debt to classical European art”, in The Christian Science Monitor

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱer-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱreh₁-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*ḱreh₁eh₂yéti
  4. Proto-Italic[Term?]
  5. Latincreō
  6. Late Latincreātūra
  7. Old Frenchcreature
  8. Middle Englishcreature
  9. Englishcreature
  10. Proto-Indo-European*leyg-
  11. Proto-Germanic*līką
  12. Englishcreaturely

From creature + -ly.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

creaturely. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/creaturely

MLA

“creaturely.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/creaturely. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “creaturely,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/creaturely.

Source: creaturely on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.