omnivorous

adjective

om·​niv·​o·​rous äm-ˈni-v(ə-)rəs 

1

: feeding on both animal and vegetable substances

omnivorous animals

2

: avidly taking in everything as if devouring or consuming

an omnivorous reader

omnivorous curiosity

omnivorously adverb

Examples of omnivorous in a Sentence

She is an omnivorous reader.

a child with omnivorous curiosity

Recent Examples on the Web

In the original study, 84 postmenopausal women who experienced at least two daily moderate to severe hot flashes were randomly assigned either to a low-fat vegan diet with half a cup of cooked soybeans per day, or to a control group that kept eating their usual omnivorous diet. —Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 10 June 2025

Half of the participants were randomly assigned to a low-fat vegan diet supplemented with soybeans, while the other half served as the control group, eating an omnivorous diet. —Paul McClure 09, New Atlas, 9 June 2025

These ancestral people ate an omnivorous diet that contained meat, dairy, and vegetables. —Patty Weasler, Verywell Health, 5 June 2025

Participants in the trial were randomly assigned to follow either a low-fat vegan diet supplemented with soybeans or an omnivorous diet under supervision. —Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin omnivorus, from omni- + -vorus -vorous

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for omnivorous

• carnivorous
• herbivorous
• insectivorous

Kids Definition

omnivorous

adjective

om·​niv·​o·​rous äm-ˈniv-(ə-)rəs 

: feeding on both animal and vegetable substances

Medical Definition

omnivorous

adjective

om·​niv·​o·​rous äm-ˈniv-(ə-)rəs 

: eating both animal and plant matter

omnivorously adverb

omnivorousness noun