omnivore

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noun om·ni·vore \ˈäm-ni-ˌvȯr\

Definition of omnivore

: one that is omnivorous Bears and coyotes are omnivores.

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Recent Examples of omnivore from the Web

An electronic omnivore conceived in 2003, it was designed to ingest information from scores of databases, blogs, e-mail traffic, intelligence reports, and other sources, government documents and researchers say.

— kris alexander, WIRED, "DHS Data-mining Progam Suspended", 29 Aug. 2007

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'omnivore'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

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.