omnivore

noun

om·​ni·​vore ˈäm-ni-ˌvȯr 

: one that is omnivorous

Bears and coyotes are omnivores.

Did you know?

The Classic Omnivore

Human beings seem to be classic omnivores. Originally living as "hunter-gatherers", we hunted and fished when possible but also gathered nuts, berries, fruits, seeds, and roots for much of our diet. We're physically well suited for both tasks; our hands are perfect for picking things, and our build is ideal for running down even the fastest game animals because of our great stamina. Some 10,000 years ago humans began practicing agriculture involving both animals and plants. The other omnivorous mammals include chimpanzees, pigs, opossums, porcupines, bears, raccoons, chipmunks, mice and rats, and skunks. But even many mammals classed as carnivorous turn out to be capable of shifting to plant foods when necessary.

Examples of omnivore in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

All of the food at Dosa Delight is vegetarian, but thanks to the flavor bomb beheld in each dish, from savory to sour to spicy to sweet, omnivores won’t miss the meat. —Kaitlyn Rosati, New York Daily News, 12 Mar. 2025

But being both a cultural omnivore and a frank truth-teller have served him well. —Jason Newman, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2025

Early dinosaurs were also bipedal and are believed to have been omnivores. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 23 Jan. 2025

As for omnivores, their gut microbiomes tended to have more bacteria associated with meat digestion, which makes sense. —Maria Godoy, NPR, 10 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin omnivora, neuter plural of omnivorus, from Latin

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for omnivore

• caregiver
• deliver
• downriver
• lawgiver
• upriver
• giver
• liver
• livre
• quiver
• river
• shiver
• sliver

Kids Definition

omnivore

noun

om·​ni·​vore ˈäm-ni-ˌvō(ə)r 

-ˌvȯ(ə)r

: one that is omnivorous