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 And those carnivores who are interested in cutting back on their meat intake—including the three founders who Fortune spoke with for this story—are more likely to substitute beef with chicken, or vegetables, than a faux-beef patty. Byirina Ivanova, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2024 After being taken to a veterinarian in Santa Clarita, the cat was transported the next morning to one of the only facilities in California equipped to provide rehabilitative care for large carnivores — the San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center. Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Feb. 2024 Lions have long stood atop the food chain, but now a new enemy has forced the dominant carnivores in Kenya to change their hunting strategies and diets. Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2024 Without plants, the herbivores starved; without herbivores, the carnivores starved. Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 12 Jan. 2024 Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone This award-winning book by Deborah Madison helped move vegetarian cooking from the fringe to the center of the table, even for committed carnivores. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 14 Dec. 2023 There’s no carnivore that lived at that time that could break those bones at mid-shaft, and they’re broken at mid-shaft; that’s how people break bones. Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Feb. 2024 The dinosaur roamed what’s now England about 166 million years ago, a fairly large carnivore of its time at an adult length of more than 20 feet. Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Feb. 2024 That may be a combination of the increase in activity on public land, even outside of hunting season, or an increase in large carnivores, or because range conditions on public land are deteriorating. Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 21 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'carnivore.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near carnivore

Cite this Entry

“Carnivore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carnivore. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!