carnivorous
adjective
car·niv·o·rous
kär-ˈni-v(ə-)rəs 
1
: subsisting or feeding on animal tissues
2
of a plant
: subsisting on nutrients obtained from the breakdown of animal protoplasm (as of insects)
3
: of or relating to the carnivores
4
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The order of mammals that Linnaeus named the Carnivora includes such families as the dogs, the bears, the raccoons, the weasels, the hyenas, the cats, and the seals. Most carnivores eat only meat in the wild, but some have varied diets; some bears, for instance, normally eat far more vegetation than meat. Carnivores have powerful jaws and complex teeth, and most are highly intelligent. Humans, like their ape cousins, are basically omnivores.
Examples of carnivorous in a Sentence
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Brooker puts the carnivorous culture of reality TV on trial in this diabolical hour, set in a world where lower-caste citizens pedal stationary bikes to power their surroundings and earn meager currency.
—
Charles Bramesco, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2025
Further down the list were predictions around diet, including being gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan, while 5 percent said that there could be a shift toward more people adopting a carnivorous diet.
—John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025
The carnivorous species can hunt both from the trees and the ground, catching prey with 2-inch teeth, which are very long relative to their body size, the San Diego Zoo says.
—Olivia Lloyd, Charlotte Observer, 13 Mar. 2025
Unlike its carnivorous hyena relatives, the aardwolf has evolved to consume up to 300,000 termites per night, using its long, sticky tongue to lap them up with remarkable efficiency.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
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Charles Bramesco, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2025
Further down the list were predictions around diet, including being gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan, while 5 percent said that there could be a shift toward more people adopting a carnivorous diet.
—John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025
The carnivorous species can hunt both from the trees and the ground, catching prey with 2-inch teeth, which are very long relative to their body size, the San Diego Zoo says.
—Olivia Lloyd, Charlotte Observer, 13 Mar. 2025
Unlike its carnivorous hyena relatives, the aardwolf has evolved to consume up to 300,000 termites per night, using its long, sticky tongue to lap them up with remarkable efficiency.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for carnivorous
Cite this Entry
“Carnivorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carnivorous. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
carnivorous
adjective
car·niv·o·rous
kär-ˈniv-(ə-)rəs
1
a
: feeding on animal tissues
b
: trapping and digesting insects
carnivorous plants
2
: of or relating to the carnivores
Medical Definition
carnivorous
adjective
car·niv·o·rous
kär-ˈniv-(ə-)rəs
1
: subsisting or feeding on animal tissues
2
: of or relating to the carnivores
carnivorously
adverb
carnivorousness
noun
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