English Reference
Noun

critter

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈkɹɪtɝ/ UK /kɹˈɪtɐ/ crit·ter UK spelling critters

n.a small animal, especially one that is cute or lives in the wild. People often use this word when they find a bug or a mouse in their house.

n.a small animal, typically one that is perceived as cute or harmless. Informal in register; frequently used in North American English to refer to insects, rodents, or small mammals.


SIMPLE

I found a little critter hiding under the porch.

CONTEXTUAL

The children were excited to see a small critter scurrying through the tall grass in the backyard.


First attested 1815, from a dialectal pronunciation of creature.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated