Animality

/ˌænɪˈmælɪti/ noun

Definition

The state, quality, or condition of being animal; the essential nature that all animals share.

Etymology

From Old French 'animal' plus the Latin suffix '-ity' (meaning 'state or quality'), used since the 14th century in philosophical and theological discussions.

Kelly Says

Medieval theologians debated animality intensely—they wanted to know what distinguished humans from 'mere' animality, and this question drove religious, philosophical, and scientific thought for centuries.

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