ănĭmăl, ālis (abl. animali; but Rhem. Palaem. p. 1372 P. gives animale), n. [as if for animale, which is found in Cic. Fin. 2, 10, 31 MS.; Lucr. 3, 635; cf. animalis], a living being, an animal.
I In the widest sense, ζῶον (cf. ζωός = living): inanimum est omne, quod pulsu agitatur externo, quod autem est animal, id motu cietur interiore et suo, Cic. Tusc. 1, 23, 54, where it is opp. to the adj. inanimum, and therefore is equivalent to animale; cf. id. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 12: uti possint sentire animalia quaeque, Lucr. 2, 973: cum omne animal patibilem naturam habeat, etc., Cic. N. D. 3, 12, 29; 2, 47, 122: formicae, animal minumum, Plin. 7, 15, 13, § 65; 28, 4, 6, § 33 et saep.—Of men: animal providum et sagax homo, Cic. Leg. 1, 7, 22; so id. Fin. 2, 13: sanctius his animal, Ov. M. 1, 76: bicipites hominum aliorumve animalium, Tac. A. 15, 47: (Vitellius) umbraculis hortorum abditus, ut ignava animalia, quibus cibum suggeras, jacent torpentque, id. H. 3, 36; 4, 17: etiam fera animalia, si clausa teneas, virtutis obliviscuntur, id. ib. 4, 64; id. Agr. 34: animalia maris, id. A. 15, 37; Plin. 10, 63, 83, § 171.—Also of the universe, considered as an animated existence: hunc mundum animal esse, idque intellegens et divinā providentiā constitutum, Cic. Tim. 3; 4.—
II Sometimes in a more restricted sense, as antith. to man, a beast (as in Heb., animal, from, to live): multa ab animalium vocibus tralata in homines, Varr. L. L. 7, 5, 100: alia animalia gradiendo, alia serpendo, etc., Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 122: animalia inusitata ceteris gentibus, nisi invecta, Curt. 8, 9, 16; Sen. Ep 76, 6: si quod animal in mustum inciderit, Col. 12, 31: si quod animal aurem intraverit, Plin. 28, 4, 7, § 37: similitudo non ab hominibus modo petitur, verum etiam ab animalibus, Quint. 6, 3, 57.—Hence, with contempt, of a man: funestum illud animal, ex nefariis stupris concretum, that pernicious brute , Cic. Pis. 9.