insectivorous

adjective

in·​sec·​tiv·​o·​rous ˌin-ˌsek-ˈti-v(ə-)rəs 

: feeding on insects

Did you know?

A wide variety of animals could be called insectivores--most of the birds, for example, as well as the spiders. Of the amphibians, frogs and many lizards are largely insectivorous. Even some fish get much of their food from insects. The order of mammals called Insectivora contains the shrews, moles, and hedgehogs, though bats and anteaters are also insectivores. Many insects are themselves insectivores; the dragonfly, for instance, is a swift insectivorous terror that lives up to its name. But it's the insectivorous plants that tend to fascinate us; of the over 600 species, the best known are the Venus flytrap (which snaps shut on its prey), the pitcher plants (which drown insects in a tiny pool of water), and the sundews (which capture insects with their sticky surfaces).

Examples of insectivorous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The study’s key finding was that the abundance of native trees, especially oak and birch trees (Figure 2c, d, e), is vitally important to the overall well-being of insectivorous birds and their ability to reproduce and to successfully raise chicks. —Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026

This small insectivorous bird disappeared as rats raided its nests. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025

In places where weaver ants weren’t present, insectivorous bird species diversity peaked at low elevations and tapered off higher up in the mountains. —Byalice Sun, science.org, 25 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for insectivorous

• carnivorous
• herbivorous
• omnivorous

Kids Definition

insectivorous

adjective

in·​sec·​tiv·​o·​rous ˌin-ˌsek-ˈtiv-(ə-)rəs 

: feeding on insects as food

Medical Definition

insectivorous

adjective

in·​sec·​tiv·​o·​rous ˌin-ˌsek-ˈtiv-(ə-)rəs 

: depending on insects as food