ruminant

1 of 2

noun

ru·​mi·​nant ˈrü-mə-nənt 

: an animal that chews the cud

specifically : an herbivorous, even-toed, hoofed mammal (suborder Ruminantia and Tylopoda) that has a complex 3- or 4-chambered stomach

Proving that being a ruminant is no bar to being a sophisticate, cows listening to Beethoven and Haydn upped their milk production by 5.5 percent.

—Jeffrey Kluger

Insoluble fiber comes from the structural components of plant cell walls … . It is made up of complex carbohydrates, but has no caloric value for humans; unlike ruminants … , we are unable to digest it.

—S. Boyd Eaton

Note: Ruminants include cattle, sheep, deer, goats, giraffes, camels, and llamas, although camels, llamas, and other camelids are sometimes not considered true ruminants because they possess a 3-chambered rather than a 4-chambered stomach.

ruminant

2 of 2

adjective

1

a

: chewing the cud : being a mammal that is a ruminant

ruminant animals

b

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a mammal that is a ruminant

ruminant digestion

2

: given to or engaged in contemplation : meditative

stood there … in this attitude of ruminant relish

—Thomas Wolfe

ruminantly adverb

Synonyms

Adjective

• melancholy
• reflective
• thoughtful
• philosophic
• philosophical
• contemplative

Examples of ruminant in a Sentence

Adjective

I wandered around campus all day in a ruminant mood.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Production of beef, goat and lamb must fall by one-third from 2020 levels through 2050, the report says, and global herds of cattle and other ruminants have to shrink by about a quarter. —Bloomberg News, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Oct. 2025

But it can also be released from ruminant livestock, wetlands and waste decomposing in landfills. —Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 19 Sep. 2025

Adjective

Their four-chambered, ruminant digestive system allows for the absorption of cellulose – a fibrous plant material that is hard to break down. —Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 10 Oct. 2025

But it can also be released from ruminant livestock, wetlands and waste decomposing in landfills. —Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 19 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1661, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for ruminant

• illuminant

Kids Definition

ruminant

1 of 2 noun

ru·​mi·​nant ˈrü-mə-nənt 

: a cud-chewing mammal

ruminant

2 of 2 adjective

1

a

: chewing the cud

b

: of or relating to a group of hoofed mammals (as sheep, oxen, deer, and camels) that chew the cud and have a complex 3- or 4-chambered stomach

2

: given to or engaged in contemplation : meditative

Medical Definition

ruminant

1 of 2 noun

ru·​mi·​nant ˈrü-mə-nənt 

: a ruminant mammal

ruminant

2 of 2 adjective

: of or relating to two suborders (Ruminantia and Tylopoda) of even-toed hoofed mammals (as sheep, oxen, deer, and camels) that chew the cud and have a complex 3- or 4-chambered stomach