filter feeder
noun
: an animal (such as a clam or baleen whale) that obtains its food by filtering organic matter or minute organisms from a current of water that passes through some part of its system
Examples of filter feeder in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Giant clams are filter feeders.
—
NPR, 7 May 2026
The species are highly efficient filter feeders and form dense colonies, according to the CDWF.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 1 May 2026
These critters are voracious filter feeders that deplete the plankton that other native fish also depend on.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Over time, the ecological niche changed from filter feeders to carnivores, and the second pair of eyes may have evolved into a non-sensory neuroendocrine organ called the pineal gland, responsible for producing melatonin and regulating the sleep cycle.
—New Atlas, 16 Feb. 2026
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NPR, 7 May 2026
The species are highly efficient filter feeders and form dense colonies, according to the CDWF.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 1 May 2026
These critters are voracious filter feeders that deplete the plankton that other native fish also depend on.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Over time, the ecological niche changed from filter feeders to carnivores, and the second pair of eyes may have evolved into a non-sensory neuroendocrine organ called the pineal gland, responsible for producing melatonin and regulating the sleep cycle.
—New Atlas, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for filter feeder
Cite this Entry
“Filter feeder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/filter%20feeder. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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