carnivore

noun

car·ni·vore | \ ˈkär-nə-ˌvȯr

Definition of carnivore

1a : an animal (such as a dog, fox, crocodile, or shark) that feeds primarily or exclusively on animal matter : a carnivorous animal Among the plankton are numerous diminutive but voracious carnivores, including small jellyfishes and comb jellies, saber-toothed creatures called arrowworms or chaetognaths, and a host of crustaceans and small fishes.— Gregory A. Wray As big as a bull elephant, T. rex weighed 15 times as much as the largest carnivores living on land today.— Erik Stokstad Carnivores [=people who eat meat] will appreciate the restaurant's refined version of surf-and-turf: steak au poivre matched with sweet, large prawns.— Matthew DeBord

b : any of an order (Carnivora) of animals that feed primarily or exclusively on animal matter : carnivoran Farther back in their mouths lie some special teeth known as the carnassials. These are the hallmark of the true carnivores, or canivorans—members of a great order of placental mammals, the Carnivora.— Richard H. Tedford

2 : a carnivorous plant the Venus flytrap and other carnivores subsisting on insects

Examples of carnivore in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In addition to carnivore, omnivore, vegetarian, and vegan, there are Paleo, keto, and gluten-free menus to choose from. — SELF, "The Best Meal-Kit Delivery Services to Try in 2019," 1 Jan. 2019 The markings on the bone don't correspond to any known carnivore indigenous to North America. — John Wenz, Popular Mechanics, "Jaw-Dropping Study Says Some Human Relative Was in California 130,000 Years Ago," 26 Apr. 2017 Visitors can watch the zoo’s carnivores enjoy raw, store-prepared turkeys, a treat that’s also an enrichment activity to keep them mentally and physically stimulated. — Madeline Mckenzie, The Seattle Times, "Holiday fun gets rolling with a turkey toss, trees, trains, treats and more," 14 Nov. 2018 Any weight loss that carnivores have seen as a result of going all-meat, all the time? — Jaclyn London, Ms, Rd, Cdn, Good Housekeeping, "What You Need to Know About the Carnivore Diet," 7 Sep. 2018 The creature is Phronima, a miniature carnivore ranging from half an inch to almost two inches long. — James Gorman, New York Times, "The Ruthless Phronima, and Other Hidden Wonders of the Sea," 22 Mar. 2018 Everything is made from scratch and the kitchen seems to take particular pride in turning carnivores into fans with its flavorful dishes. — Jennifer Bradley Franklin, Condé Nast Traveler, "3 Best Day Trips from Atlanta," 23 Aug. 2018 According to Colin Barras of Science, the dinosaur is likely a close relative of the Allosaurus fragilis, a Late Jurassic carnivore. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "A Mysterious Dinosaur Skeleton Was Auctioned Off to a Private Buyer," 7 June 2018 For The New Yorker, journalist Brooke Jarvis spends time in Tasmania, examining the debate about whether this uniquely antipodal carnivore is extinct or alive, eking out its existence while avoiding scientific efforts to document it. — Aaron Gilbreath, Longreads, "Here Be Tigers," 28 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'carnivore.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.