J.R.R. Tolkien created Ents as tree-like beings in Middle-earth.
Ents are ancient shepherds of trees who appear most prominently in The Lord of the Rings. Their name comes from an Old English word meaning “giant,” and Tolkien connected them with the wider tradition of speaking or supernatural trees in literature and folklore.
The best-known Ent is Treebeard, also called Fangorn. During the story, Treebeard and other Ents respond to the destruction caused by Saruman’s industrial expansion. Their march on Isengard becomes one of the major turning points in the conflict against Saruman.
Ents are not simply trees that have come alive. Tolkien presents them as a distinct people with their own language, memories, and history. The Entwives, who preferred cultivated gardens, were separated from the Ents and were later lost, which explains why the Ents lament the disappearance of their female counterparts.