carnivorous

play

adjective car·niv·o·rous \ kär-ˈni-v(ə-)rəs \

Definition of carnivorous

1 :subsisting or feeding on animal tissues

2 of a plant :subsisting on nutrients obtained from the breakdown of animal protoplasm (as of insects)

3 :of or relating to the carnivores

4 :rapacious

—

carnivorously

adverb

—

carnivorousness

noun

—

carnivory

play \kär-ˈni-və-rē\ noun

See carnivorous defined for kids

Recent Examples of carnivorous from the Web

The Asado Platter at Pittsburgh’s Gaucho Parrilla Argentina does not force diners into a carnivorous Sophie’s choice.

— andy staples, SI.com, "Hip Tears Behind Him, Alec Eberle Is Stronger Than Ever and on a Mission to Anchor FSU," 14 Aug. 2017
The meat was quickly swarmed by a large pack of small, carnivorous critters, likely recreating what happened to Sam.

— beth mole, Ars Technica, "Australian teen chewed and bloodied after bizarre ocean feeding frenzy," 7 Aug. 2017
In other words, The Lost Boys is a tale of feuding families: the Emerson clan on the one hand, and David’s carnivorous squad on the other.

— brandon tensley, The Atlantic, "The Lost Boys’ Subtly Radical Vision of Family," 2 Aug. 2017
Section 9.4 of the Michigan Wildlife Conservation Order outlines the legal killing of carnivorous animals in cases when a livestock owner’s property is being damaged.

— lydia lohrer, Detroit Free Press, "Bears are a pain for beekeepers; here’s how to keep them out," 29 July 2017
Preying mantises are carnivorous, and will catch and kill honey bees and other beneficial insects for their own consumption.

— margaret lauterbach, idahostatesman, "Idaho successfully battles destructive Japanese beetles," 26 July 2017
On Rinca, villagers contend regularly with carnivorous lizards known as Komodo dragons.

— sean hotchkiss, CNT, "Charting Indonesia's Eastern Islands on a Luxury Yacht," 24 July 2017
Elsewhere, though, was ample evidence of a carnivorous society.

— peter rowe, sandiegouniontribune.com, "At the fair's junior livestock auction, a push-pull between commerce and compassion," 1 July 2017
The same traps that ensnare fish are also attractions for carnivorous mammals in search of prey.

— sarah gibbens, National Geographic, "Watch Rescuers Free Seal Trapped by Fishing Line," 30 June 2017

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

Did You Know?

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.

Origin and Etymology of carnivorous

Latin carnivorus, from carn-, caro + -vorus -vorous

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1592

See Words from the same year

Other Ecology Terms

Malthusian, anthropogenic, biomass, carbon footprint, crepuscular, niche, sere, symbiosis, taiga, tundra

CARNIVOROUS Defined for Kids

carnivorous

play

adjective car·niv·o·rous \ kär-ˈni-və-rəs \

Definition of carnivorous for Students

:feeding on animal flesh or tissue

Wolves are carnivorous animals.

Word Root of carnivorous

The Latin word vorāre, meaning “to eat greedily,” gives us the root vor. Words from the Latin vorāre have something to do with eating. An herbivorous animal eats only plants. A carnivorous animal eats only other animals. To devour is to eat up greedily. Anyone voracious likes to eat a lot.