Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “creature” come from?

Creature comes from Middle English creature, from Old French creator, from Latin creator (one who creates), derived from the past participle creatus and the agentive suffix -or, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ḱer- (to make or create).

creature (English): A living being; an animal; A human; A created...

Definitions

  1. A living being; an animal; A human; A created...

Ancestry of “creature”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcreateTo bring into existence; To cause, to bring ...
2Middle EnglishcreatenTo make, invent, or create; To grant or bestow a...
3Latincreātus—
4Latincreō—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱer-to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,...
6Proto-Indo-Europeankr̥-to turn, to bend
7Proto-Indo-Europeanker-army

Words derived from “creature”

  • critter
  • creaturely
  • creatureliness
  • creaturehood
  • creatural
  • creatureship
  • creaturelike
  • werecreature
  • creatureless
  • creaturedom
  • werecritter
  • crittercam
  • creaturize
  • cybercreature
  • congresscritter
  • mercreature
  • creatur
  • salescritter
  • クリーチャー
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ker- →