carnivorous

adjective

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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

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Examples of carnivorous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Minks are small, carnivorous mammals that are raised mostly for their furs. — Dr. Jonathan Chan, ABC News, "COVID-19 is circulating in some animals. What does that mean for us?," 21 Feb. 2021 The first fossil of Podokesaurus holyokensis, a fast-moving, carnivorous dinosaur, was discovered in Mount Holyoke in 1910. — Lauren Kent, CNN, "Massachusetts might soon have an official state dinosaur. A bunch of other states already do," 17 Jan. 2021 Among all the carnivorous mammals that have ever lived, Andrewsarchus may have been the largest. — Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, "Ten Exquisite Creatures That Once Roamed the Earth," 10 Dec. 2020 There was more even body-size distribution among plant-eating dinosaurs, and Schroeder said that young plant-eating dinosaurs wouldn't have impacted their environment in the same way as their carnivorous counterparts. — Katie Hunt, CNN, "Hungry teenage tyrants help explain puzzling fact about dinosaur diversity," 25 Feb. 2021 At Taste of Nigeria, it can be given a carnivorous twist by adding your choice of meat. — Joanna O'leary, Chron, "Houston's best takes on chicken soup for your post-freeze soul," 23 Feb. 2021 Outside captivity, the hyper carnivorous bears live largely within the Arctic Circle. — Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, "Commission to examine what killed Anana, female polar bear at the Detroit Zoo," 13 Feb. 2021 The carnivorous fish leave little behind because their skeletons comprise mostly soft cartilage, rather than bone. — Bridget Alex, Smithsonian Magazine, "Why Did Ancient Indigenous Groups in Brazil Hunt Sharks?," 8 Feb. 2021 Roadside weeds like wild mustard and Queen Anne’s lace, tendrils of palm inflorescence and carnivorous cobra lilies have all found a place in her work. — New York Times, "T Black Book: Florists," 18 Nov. 2020

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.