creature English · revision 7143

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1300|origins=la creo}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈkɹiː.tʃə/ ''(UK)''; /ˈkɹi.tʃɚ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fro|creature|t=created being; all creation]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) and probably directly [[bor|la-lat|creatura|t=a thing created]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) from creatus, the past participle of [[m|la|creo|alt=creāre|t=to create]] (see [[create]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from PIE [[ine-pro|*ḱreh₁-|alt=*ker-|t=to grow]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Anything created, animate or inanimate: before 1300 in the OED, about 1300 in Etymonline;^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) a human being, about 1280 in Barnhart.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A living creature, an animal, is from before 1300.^(OED 1989) Of humans it is used in contempt, pity or endearment.^(Etymonline) A person who owes his rise to another, a tool or puppet, is from the 1580s.^(Etymonline) After 1 Timothy 4:4, ''every creature of God is good'', it meant anything that ministers to comfort (1610s), and jocularly whisky or drink (1630s).^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) ''Creature comforts'', material comforts, is from the 1650s.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The word was properly three syllables, and sometimes so in Elizabethan verse.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1280 – a human being.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1300 – anything created; an animal.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1580s – someone's tool or puppet.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1630s – whisky (jocular).^(Etymonline)

+ * 1650s – creature comforts.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An animal, as distinct from a human being.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A living being, especially an imaginary or strange one.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A person, as an object of pity, contempt or affection: ''poor creature''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A person or organization under the complete control of another.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[creatural]]

+ * [[creatureliness]]

+ * [[creaturely]]

+ * [[creaturehood]]

+ * [[critter]]

+ * [[creature comfort]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[create]]

+ * [[creation]]

+ * [[creative]]

+ * [[creator]]

+ * [[crescent]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}