detritivore
noun
de·tri·ti·vore
di-ˈtrī-tə-ˌvȯr 
: an organism (such as an earthworm or a fungus) that feeds on dead and decomposing organic matter
Examples of detritivore in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Midge larvae love eating algae and are what’s called a detritivore, Calabrese said.
—
Emily Bamforth, cleveland, 19 May 2020
Being a detritivore, the snail gets its nutrients primarily from eating rotted vegetation.
—National Geographic, 26 Mar. 2020
All parts of the food chain were attracted to the reefs, including herbivores, detritivores, planktivores and predatory piscivores, the researchers found.
—Fox News, 3 Dec. 2019
The discussion about detritivores, which process waste material into soil by way of their own humus-like waste material.
—David Gilbert, The New Yorker, 4 June 2017
These non-insect arthropods are usually detritivores (feed on decaying plant material), but can and do sometimes feed on vegetables, particularly root vegetables like carrots and sugar beets.
—OregonLive.com, 31 Mar. 2018
Emily Bamforth, cleveland, 19 May 2020
Being a detritivore, the snail gets its nutrients primarily from eating rotted vegetation.
—National Geographic, 26 Mar. 2020
All parts of the food chain were attracted to the reefs, including herbivores, detritivores, planktivores and predatory piscivores, the researchers found.
—Fox News, 3 Dec. 2019
The discussion about detritivores, which process waste material into soil by way of their own humus-like waste material.
—David Gilbert, The New Yorker, 4 June 2017
These non-insect arthropods are usually detritivores (feed on decaying plant material), but can and do sometimes feed on vegetables, particularly root vegetables like carrots and sugar beets.
—OregonLive.com, 31 Mar. 2018
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'detritivore.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Detritivore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detritivore. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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