Dictionary

manimal en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Etymology

Blend of man + animal.

Meanings

1. (informal) A fanciful life form that is part human and part beast; a creature recognizable as human but possessing physical or primitive behavioral characteristics that are exclusive to animals.
   • 2006 February 1, Paul Z. Myers, Pharyngula, ScienceBlogs President panders to anti-manimal lobby! Dr Moreau flees country in rage!
   • Two years ago we were going to Mars, and that sort of didn't happen...and now there's, like, manimal. 2006 February 4, Charlie Pierce, “Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!”, in National Public Radio:
   • Standing naked against a wintry landscape, the figure became a screen for the projection of identities--beast, bigfoot, manimal, specter, even, to use a word Newkirk's work encourages one to use in all its dangerousness, spook. 2004 January 1, Christopher Miles, “Kori Newkirk; the project”, in Artforum International Magazine:
2. (qualifier:by analogy, slang) A person compared to such a creature, especially an unkempt and uncivilized, or strong and sexually aggressive man.
   • 2004 January 1, Michael Burnett, “Tumyeto army”, Thrasher, High Speed Productions, Inc. Layton smacked his head hard on a front feeble, but bounced back up to get the make. That kid's a manimal. "Oh, he's so on the team," Diego kept saying.

Forms

Synonyms

macho man (individual)