French word

créature

Pronunciation

IPA/kʁeatyʁ/

Meaning

  • feminine nouncreature

Example

Il y a une créature dans le grenier.

There is a creature in the attic.

Illustration for créature (creature)

More examples

Au bord de la mer, on raconte l'existence d'une créature mythologique.

By the sea, people tell of the existence of a mythological creature.

Core concept

A living being viewed as a distinct individual, whether an ordinary animal or an imagined monster.

Common phrases

  • créature mythologique

    mythological creature

  • créature de la forêt

    creature of the forest

Similar words

animal: An animal in the usual everyday sense.
bête: A beast or rough animal, sometimes a mild insult for a person.

Definition in French

Désigne un être vivant, fréquemment un animal ou une créature fictive, et parfois employé pour parler d'une personne avec nuance affective ou méprisante.

Word origin

French créature comes through Old French from Latin creatura, meaning a created thing, which derives from creare, to create.

Usage tips

  • When créature describes a person, modifiers such as pauvre can signal pity, affection, or contempt, so context matters.

Other meanings

  • animalnoun

Related words

Word lists with this word