Human beings seem to be classic omnivores. Originally living as "hunter-gatherers", we hunted and fished when possible but also gathered nuts, berries, fruits, seeds, and roots for much of our diet. We're physically well suited for both tasks; our hands are perfect for picking things, and our build is ideal for running down even the fastest game animals because of our great stamina. Some 10,000 years ago humans began practicing agriculture involving both animals and plants. The other omnivorous mammals include chimpanzees, pigs, opossums, porcupines, bears, raccoons, chipmunks, mice and rats, and skunks. But even many mammals classed as carnivorous turn out to be capable of shifting to plant foods when necessary.
Examples of omnivore in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebThe omnivores, who are skilled scavengers, are known to head to residential communities in search of food, particularly during the spring and summer months.—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2024 Bear scats vary widely based on what food sources the omnivore is digesting.—Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 30 May 2024 Humans’ endless encroachment on the natural habitat has led to an increase in encounters with the animals, omnivores especially adept at scavenging.—Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2024 The casual spot serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with loads of options for vegans, vegetarians, omnivores and everyone in between.—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 20 May 2024 Turkeys, being omnivores, eat just about anything, with favorites including bugs, tender greens, acorns, berries, corn, soybeans, sorghum, milo, sunflowers, chufa, and other seeds and grains.—Will Brantley, Field & Stream, 17 Apr. 2024 The big birds prefer seeds, insects, snails and snakes, but the omnivores will also eat pet food and plant seedlings.—Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 14 Apr. 2024 For example, flatback sea turtles are omnivores, eating both plants and animals, while loggerheads are carnivores, eating plants rarely.—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024 At the end of the eight weeks, LDL cholesterol levels dropped to an average of about 96 mg/dL for the vegan twins and 116 mg/dL for omnivores.—Kaitlin Sullivan, Health, 9 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'omnivore.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
New Latin omnivora, neuter plural of omnivorus, from Latin
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