carnivorous
adjective
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The order of mammals that Linnaeus named the Carnivora includes such families as the dogs, the bears, the raccoons, the weasels, the hyenas, the cats, and the seals. Most carnivores eat only meat in the wild, but some have varied diets; some bears, for instance, normally eat far more vegetation than meat. Carnivores have powerful jaws and complex teeth, and most are highly intelligent. Humans, like their ape cousins, are basically omnivores.
Examples of carnivorous in a Sentence
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Aug. 2023
The exhibit features hundreds of live carnivorous plants, along with bigger-than-life re-creations of several species, so visitors can learn about the plants up close from a bugs-eye perspective.
—The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Sep. 2023
Emily Felch and mother Marcy’s curiosity shop is full of taxidermy, carnivorous plants, bones, and skulls.
—Krista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, 17 Apr. 2023
Bleu and Wu will take to the stage alongside Audrey II, the famous carnivorous plant, starting Sept. 26, according to the show's Instagram post.
—Kimi Robinson, USA TODAY, 28 Aug. 2023
The musical, which centers on a hapless florist, Seymour, his co-worker, Audrey, and their discovery of a carnivorous plant, first premiered off-Broadway in 1982.
—Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Aug. 2023
The rotten smell attracts pollinators including flesh flies, dung beetles, and other carnivorous insects.
—Daniel Kool, BostonGlobe.com, 23 July 2023
Jenn Burt, a vegan with a carnivorous husband and four young kids, hoped the latest AI tools would take some stress out of meal planning.
—Alex Janin, WSJ, 14 Aug. 2023
These bone markings are modern, including bite marks from various carnivorous animals and cut marks from tools.
—Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'carnivorous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Latin carnivorus, from carn-, caro + -vorus -vorous
1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near carnivorous
Cite this Entry
“Carnivorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carnivorous. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.
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carnivorous
adjective
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carnivorous
adjective
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