Resembling or having the qualities of a beast; animal-like in appearance, behavior, or nature.
Compound word from 'beast' (Latin 'bestia') and the suffix '-like' (Old English 'gelīc' meaning 'similar'), creating a direct comparison to animal qualities.
The '-like' suffix is one of English's most productive word-building tools—you can stick it on almost any noun to create instant comparisons, which is why it survives across centuries while more formal compounds fade away.
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