carnivoran

American  

[kahr-niv-er-uhn] / kɑrˈnɪv ər ən /

noun

1. any member of the placental mammal order Carnivora, a mostly carnivorous order, but inclusive of several omnivorous and herbivorous species as well.

   dogs, cats, and other domesticated carnivorans.

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adjective

1. of or relating to any member or members of the placental mammal order Carnivora.

   carnivoran species.

Etymology

Origin of carnivoran

First recorded in 1965–70; carnivor(e) ( def. ) + -an ( def. )

Example Sentences

She was hoping to return there to look in on her favorite carnivoran — the kind with shaggy hair, long snouts, powerful torsos, stocky legs and large, non-retractable claws.

From New York Times • Apr. 17, 2020

Liow, L. H. & Finarelli, J. A. A dynamic global equilibrium in carnivoran diversification over 20 million years.

From Nature • Apr. 10, 2018

Mosaics of convergences and noise in morphological phylogenies: what’s in a viverrid-like carnivoran?

From Scientific American • Feb. 25, 2013