Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "metazoan" dabba ce ta masarautar Metazoa, wadda ta haɗa da duk dabbobin salula masu yawa banda protozoans, soso, da siffofi masu sauƙi masu dangantaka. Metazoans ana siffanta su da samun ƙwararrun kyallen takarda da gabobin jiki, kuma ta hanyar ci gaban amfrayo wanda ya haɗa da samuwar yadudduka na ƙwayoyin cuta. Ana amfani da kalmar "metazoan" sau da yawa sabanin "protozoan," wanda ke nufin kwayoyin halitta guda ɗaya waɗanda ba a rarraba su a matsayin dabbobi ba.