carnivore

noun

car·​ni·​vore ˈkär-nə-ˌvȯr How to pronounce carnivore (audio)
1
a
: an animal (such as a dog, fox, crocodile, or shark) that feeds primarily or exclusively on animal matter : a carnivorous animal
Among the plankton are numerous diminutive but voracious carnivores, including small jellyfishes and comb jellies, saber-toothed creatures called arrowworms or chaetognaths, and a host of crustaceans and small fishes.Gregory A. Wray
As big as a bull elephant, T. rex weighed 15 times as much as the largest carnivores living on land today.Erik Stokstad
Carnivores [=people who eat meat] will appreciate the restaurant's refined version of surf-and-turf: steak au poivre matched with sweet, large prawns.Matthew DeBord
b
: any of an order (Carnivora) of animals that feed primarily or exclusively on animal matter : carnivoran
Farther back in their mouths lie some special teeth known as the carnassials. These are the hallmark of the true carnivores, or canivorans—members of a great order of placental mammals, the Carnivora.Richard H. Tedford
2
: a carnivorous plant
the Venus flytrap and other carnivores subsisting on insects

Examples of carnivore in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Kennedy has touted the benefits of bone broth on social media, and podcaster Joe Rogan, who has extolled the benefits of the carnivore diet for years, is also a big fan of bone broth. Danielle Chemtob, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025 Just as the trees evolved bark to help protect their more vulnerable tissues inside, the dinosaur evolved thick, pointed osteoderms along its flanks—bony armor floating in the skin that could break the tooth of a carnivore that gets too bold. Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Feb. 2025 As obligate carnivores, cats love any sort of animal products, but does this mean they are allowed to eat everything? David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025 California squirrels are now apparently hunting and eating other rodents The squirrels are hunting like carnivores, taking down and then consuming other, smaller rodents, according to a UC Davis study. Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for carnivore

Word History

Etymology

ultimately from Latin carnivorus

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of carnivore was in 1833

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Cite this Entry

“Carnivore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carnivore. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

carnivore

noun
car·​ni·​vore ˈkär-nə-ˌvō(ə)r How to pronounce carnivore (audio)
-ˌvȯ(ə)r
1
: a flesh-eating animal
especially : any of an order of flesh-eating mammals
2
: a plant that traps and digests insects
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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