carrion
Americannoun
-
dead and putrefying flesh.
-
rottenness; anything vile.
adjective
noun
-
dead and rotting flesh
-
(modifier) eating carrion
carrion beetles
-
something rotten or repulsive
Etymology
Origin of carrion
1175–1225; Middle English caroyne, careyn, carion < Anglo-French careine, Old French charo ( i ) gne < Vulgar Latin *caronia, equivalent to Latin carun- ( see caruncle) + -ia -y 3
Explanation
The noun carrion refers to the dead and rotting flesh of an animal. Ever seen a dead opossum or cat in the road? You can call that roadkill carrion. The word carrion comes from a Latin word caro, which means "meat," but carrion is usually considered unfit for human consumption. Birds of prey and other opportunistic animals will often have carrion as part of their diet, however. Sometimes the word carrion is used a little more metaphorically: "The soldiers were unable to retrieve the bodies of their fallen brothers, so they were left on the field of battle like so much carrion."
Vocabulary lists containing carrion
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The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
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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.
"We do recognize they can take small lambs very occasionally as a part of their diet, but that's rare, and it's far more likely that they'll be taking carrion," he said.
From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026
Published in the journal Journal of Human Evolution, the research takes a sweeping look at carrion consumption from the earliest hominins to modern humans.
From Science Daily • Jan. 19, 2026
Like the bird of prey seeking carrion, a foreign correspondent is characterized as a misery merchant or conflict cowboy, making a living from death and disaster.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 7, 2025
Buzzards are the most common and widespread bird of prey in the UK and often feed on carrion, according to the RSPB.
From BBC • Jun. 3, 2025
Humans also had a far easier time chewing and digesting old favourites such as fruits, nuts, insects and carrion if they were cooked.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
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.
