ruminant

1 of 2

noun

ru·​mi·​nant ˈrü-mə-nənt How to pronounce ruminant (audio)
: an animal that chews the cud
specifically : an herbivorous, even-toed, hoofed mammal (suborder Ruminantia and Tylopoda) that has a complex 3- or 4-chambered stomach
Proving that being a ruminant is no bar to being a sophisticate, cows listening to Beethoven and Haydn upped their milk production by 5.5 percent. Jeffrey Kluger
Insoluble fiber comes from the structural components of plant cell walls … . It is made up of complex carbohydrates, but has no caloric value for humans; unlike ruminants … , we are unable to digest it. S. Boyd Eaton

Note: Ruminants include cattle, sheep, deer, goats, giraffes, camels, and llamas, although camels, llamas, and other camelids are sometimes not considered true ruminants because they possess a 3-chambered rather than a 4-chambered stomach.

ruminant

2 of 2

adjective

1
a
: chewing the cud : being a mammal that is a ruminant
ruminant animals
b
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a mammal that is a ruminant
ruminant digestion
2
: given to or engaged in contemplation : meditative
stood there … in this attitude of ruminant relishThomas Wolfe
ruminantly adverb

Examples of ruminant in a Sentence

Adjective I wandered around campus all day in a ruminant mood.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
About 12% of ruminants’ gross energy intake goes into digestive processes that generate methane, which the cows belch into the air. Paul Winters, Discover Magazine, 16 Mar. 2024 The animals are ruminants — grazing mammals that have multiple compartments within the stomach and regurgitate their food to chew it again for its nutritional value. Isabella Volmert, Dallas News, 9 Aug. 2023 The work also suggests that the ubiquitous ruminants returned the virus to people in kind at least three times. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 13 July 2023 This food is difficult to break down, so ruminants are equipped with multiple stomach chambers. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 22 Dec. 2023 Browse Newsletters But dairy, which is produced by ruminants, can also be a high-footprint food. Eve Andrews, The Atlantic, 21 Dec. 2023 Much like a registered dietitian manages a human’s diet, ruminant nutritionists balance the cow’s diet based on carbohydrate, fat, protein and moisture content. The Salt Lake Tribune, 18 Apr. 2023 So what's going on with this curious ruminant? Thane Maynard, director of the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, said the deer was born with partial albinism, a condition that limits the production of melanin, the pigment that colors skin, eyes and fur. The Enquirer, 18 Aug. 2023 High-methane foods means meat—specifically, meat from ruminants. Heather Souvaine Horn, The New Republic, 10 Mar. 2023
Adjective
In addition to the new building, the funding would be used to upgrade UMES' vet facilities, especially the farm that features small ruminant animals including sheep, goats, and a chicken coop. USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024 But those were quickly followed by the Big Mac’s softer elements: bun, cheese and those twin pucks of beef, their whisper of ruminant fat just enough to trick the brain into thinking you’re locked in battle with a real five-napkin burger, minus the juices dripping down your arm. Tim Carman, Washington Post, 25 Jan. 2024 Some have argued for the ostensible ecological benefits of raising beef and lamb on grassland, where gains in soil health from fertilization could offset the carbon emissions produced by ruminant livestock. Eve Andrews, The Atlantic, 21 Dec. 2023 As ruminant animals, dairy cows eat foods that humans can’t digest, like hay, millrun (a byproduct of wheat production), cotton seed meal, and beet pulp. The Salt Lake Tribune, 18 Apr. 2023 Several animal products from ruminant animals like cows and sheep contain trans fat. Amanda MacMillan, Health, 27 June 2023 Previous research, though, has suggested that demand for ruminant meats like beef, lamb, and goat could grow 88 percent between 2010 and 2050. WIRED, 6 Mar. 2023 From ruminant stomachs to feet that don’t get cold, these adaptations have allowed some of North America’s most iconic game species to survive the winter. Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 6 Mar. 2023 Ivanovich’s modeling shows that by 2030, ruminant meat alone could be responsible for a third of the warming associated with food consumption. WIRED, 6 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ruminant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1661, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of ruminant was in 1610

Dictionary Entries Near ruminant

Cite this Entry

“Ruminant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruminant. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ruminant

1 of 2 noun
ru·​mi·​nant ˈrü-mə-nənt How to pronounce ruminant (audio)
: a cud-chewing mammal

ruminant

2 of 2 adjective
1
a
: chewing the cud
b
: of or relating to a group of hoofed mammals (as sheep, oxen, deer, and camels) that chew the cud and have a complex 3- or 4-chambered stomach
2
: given to or engaged in contemplation : meditative

Medical Definition

ruminant

1 of 2 noun
ru·​mi·​nant ˈrü-mə-nənt How to pronounce ruminant (audio)
: a ruminant mammal

ruminant

2 of 2 adjective
: of or relating to two suborders (Ruminantia and Tylopoda) of even-toed hoofed mammals (as sheep, oxen, deer, and camels) that chew the cud and have a complex 3- or 4-chambered stomach

More from Merriam-Webster on ruminant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!