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animal trainer

animal trainer

7 2.7
A person who teaches animals to perform in shows or do work
  • noun
  • /ˈænɪməl ˈtreɪnər/
translation icon : entrenador de animales
  • Mr. Barber, the animal trainer is here for you.
  • circus animal trainer
  • professional animal trainer
  • wild animal trainer

And so we have Julie Totman, who's our animal trainer, who is going to bring you Father Cook Shanks.

Examples

  • The animal trainer demonstrated how to handle exotic pets safely during the workshop.

  • I am an animal trainer

  • Prior to becoming an actor, he had worked as an animal trainer.

    Blog text (18)
  • Due to this factor, an animal trainer's most important quality is patience.

    Blog text (8)
  • Emil, the animal trainer, waved to them.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Animal trainers have used these techniques successfully in circuses and aquariums for decades.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Our staff of animal trainers and technicians has been hand-picked and specially trained to deal with the full spectrum of program requirements.

  • As an animal trainer, she teaches dogs to follow commands and perform tricks.

  • Bill has worked as an animal trainer, training horses for various television commercials.

Synonyms

trainer
vsanimal trainer
201 1.3

A person who teaches skills, for example in sports or with animals

focuses specifically on training or exhibiting for performance or work
handler
vsanimal trainer
28 3.8

Person who trains and leads animals in shows or competitions

focuses on training or exhibiting for performance or work
tamer
vsanimal trainer
9 5.8

A person who trains and controls wild animals for shows

includes training for performances or work not only wild control

Surface Forms

Morphology

animal + trainer

The meaning 'a person who trains animals' is directly and transparently derived from composing 'animal' (an organism) with 'trainer' (a person who instructs). This noun + noun role-denoting pattern is common across languages and standard in English, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Animal trainer comes from the plain idea of a person who teaches animals, made from animal (the animal) and trainer (the person who trains). Picture a circus or farm where the animal trainer uses rewards and commands to teach tricks or work, and so the term means 'a person who trains or shows animals for work or performance'.