beast

Beast is a common noun used to refer to any animal, especially non-human animals other than humans. The term comes from Old English beaste, with Germanic roots, reflecting its long use in describing living creatures. In ordinary usage, a beast may be any animal, often with connotations of wildness, strength, or danger; in zoology and everyday speech, it contrasts with "man" or "human" and with more neutral terms like "creature" or "animal." The phrase "beast of burden" denotes animals used for work, such as horses or oxen.

In myth, folklore, and religion, beasts are central figures representing chaos, power, or danger. Biblical Behemoth and Leviathan are described as great beasts; dragons and other monsters recur in many traditions and works of fiction.

In literature and modern media, "Beast" appears as a name or title. The character Beast in Marvel Comics, Dr. Henry McCoy, is a fictional mutant with enhanced physical form and intellect. The phrase "Beauty and the Beast" refers to a fairy tale about a captive princess and her companion monster.

In philosophy and ethics, the beast image has been used to discuss the instinctual, uncontrolled side of human nature, contrasted with civilization and rationality. The term remains informal and highly context-dependent, and is rarely used in formal zoological classification.

Beast is thus a polyvalent term: it can denote any animal in everyday speech, function as a literary symbol, or identify specific fictional or cultural references.