omnivorous

American  

[om-niv-er-uhs] / ɒmˈnɪv ər əs /

adjective

1. eating both animal and plant foods.

2. eating all kinds of foods indiscriminately.

3. taking in everything, as with the mind.

   an omnivorous reader.

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omnivorous British  

/ ɒmˈnɪvərəs /

adjective

1. eating food of both animal and vegetable origin, or any type of food indiscriminately

2. taking in or assimilating everything, esp with the mind

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Other Word Forms

• omnivorism noun
• omnivorously adverb
• omnivorousness noun

Etymology

Origin of omnivorous

First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin omnivorus “all-devouring”; equivalent to omni- + -vorous

Example Sentences

Reviewing the staging of the show at the Guggenheim, our critic said “the Chicago-born artist has an omnivorous intellect, one that he proudly displays in this presentation.”

From The Wall Street Journal

This isn’t a new approach to the Biennial, which in recent history has taken an increasingly omnivorous approach to what is considered American art.

From The Wall Street Journal

If the idea of attacking a giant leaf with a fork makes you feel like an omnivorous dinosaur waiting for extinction, consider changing the format.

From Salon

The show portrays an artist driven by an omnivorous restlessness, forever chasing and endeavoring to synthesize various artistic influences and mystical belief systems.

From The Wall Street Journal

Our critic said, “the Chicago-born artist has an omnivorous intellect, one that he proudly displays in this presentation of nearly 90 works from his three-decade career.”

From The Wall Street Journal