A creature is any living being, especially an animal; it can also refer to an invented or imaginary being in stories.
From Latin “creatura,” meaning “something created,” from “creare” (to create). It originally emphasized that living things were created beings.
Calling something a ‘creature’ highlights its status as something made, not just something existing. That’s why the word fits both real animals and fantasy monsters—they’re all seen as products of some creator or imagination.
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