herbivore
Americannoun
noun
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an animal that feeds on grass and other plants
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informal a liberal, idealistic, or nonmaterialistic person
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An animal that feeds mainly or only on plants. In a food chain, herbivores are primary consumers.
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Compare carnivore detritivore
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of herbivore
Explanation
Given a choice between a sirloin steak and a pile of grass, an herbivore will take the grass every time. If grass isn't on the menu, a salad will do. Herbivores eat plants. The herb in herbivore reminds you that herbivores eat plants rather than other animals. If you know any giraffes, deer, or vegetarians, you might have some herbivore friends. If you have a friend named Herb, let him know he's safe around them. Unless Herb is your favorite houseplant.
Vocabulary lists containing herbivore
Life Science: Ecosystems
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Ecology - Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems - Introductory
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Ecology - Introductory
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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.
Herbivore reintroduction may also need to be combined with other strategies like mechanical clearing to reduce wildfire damage.
From Scientific American • Sep. 9, 2023
Herbivore numbers dwindled as their food sources burned, and carnivore populations followed suit.
From Science Magazine • Aug. 16, 2023
Freeze-dried or dehydrated foods are available even for specific dietary needs; Outdoor Herbivore offers plant-based options.
From Washington Post • Jul. 7, 2022
Herbivore Self Love Facial Ritual Kit Encourage self-care with a beautiful home-spa set that includes hydrating rose mist, hemp-rich facial oil, a glow-inducing facial treatment and a rose-quartz facial roller from the vegan, Seattle-based company.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 3, 2021
Herbivore teeth predict climatic limits in Kenyan ecosystems.
From Nature • Nov. 28, 2017
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.
