carrion

noun

car·​ri·​on ˈker-ē-ən 

ˈka-rē-

: dead and putrefying flesh

Vultures live chiefly on carrion.

also : flesh unfit for food

Examples of carrion in a Sentence

Vultures live chiefly on carrion.

Recent Examples on the Web

The intense, carrion-like odor of the slime attracts insects, which then eat the slime and excrete it, with the spores later germinating in the excrement. — Leah Hudson, Popular Science, 9 July 2026

The overpowering scent of the corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum) is meant to trick carrion beetles and flies to visit and pollinate the flowers. — Kassia Bonesteel, CBS News, 25 June 2026

Bald eagle are also known to scavenge for food and carrion, even stealing from other hunting birds mid-flight. — Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 19 June 2026

Its flowers also support bees, butterflies, and carrion flies, which are beneficial insects. — Ann Hinga Klein, Martha Stewart, 11 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English caroine, from Anglo-French caroine, charoine, from Vulgar Latin *caronia, irregular from Latin carn-, caro flesh — more at carnal

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing carrion

• carrion crow

Rhymes for carrion

• agrarian
• aquarian
• barbarian
• bavarian
• bulgarian
• cimmerian
• hungarian
• librarian
• ovarian
• riparian
• rotarian
• sectarian

Kids Definition

carrion

noun

car·​ri·​on ˈkar-ē-ən 

: dead and decaying flesh