carnivorous
Americanadjective
-
flesh-eating.
A dog is a carnivorous animal.
- Synonyms:
- predacious, predatory
-
of the carnivores.
adjective
-
(esp of animals) feeding on flesh
-
(of plants such as the pitcher plant and sundew) able to trap and digest insects and other small animals
-
of or relating to the Carnivora
-
informal aggressively ambitious or reactionary
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of carnivorous
1640–50; < Latin carnivorus, equivalent to carni- (combining form of carō flesh) + -vorus -vorous
Explanation
Vegetables? Forget it. If you're into eating meat, meat and more meat, then you're carnivorous. Not surprisingly, the adjective carnivorous can be traced back to the Latin word for "flesh." Carnivorous eaters get their fill of other animals, so they've also got a reputation for being savage or predatory. So anyone who stalks around like a lion on the hunt could also be described as carnivorous, even if they're a card-carrying vegetarian.
Vocabulary lists containing carnivorous
Mockingbird
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The Sea of Monsters
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for August 14–August 20, 2021
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Researchers note that this is surprising, since most stem tetrapods are thought to have been carnivorous.
From Science Daily ● May 1, 2026
Red foxes are one of the most prevalent carnivorous mammals globally and are found in Europe, Asia and North America as well as in parts of Africa.
From Barron's ● Mar. 13, 2026
Among my food-minded friends, I’ve witnessed exchanges that feel almost intimate in their care: Mason jars of peppery bone broth made for a new mother, cold at the edges and vaguely carnivorous during late-night feedings.
From Salon ● Dec. 23, 2025
Some carnivorous pitcher plants reflect UV light as part of their display, using colour, scent and nectar to lure prey.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2025
It’s enclosed by two barriers—a white picket fence on the interior, and the carnivorous thicket on the exterior.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
