herbivore

American  

[hur-buh-vawr, -vohr] / ˈhɜr bəˌvɔr, -ˌvoʊr /

noun

1. a herbivorous animal.

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herbivore British  

/ ˈhɜːbɪˌvɔː /

noun

1. an animal that feeds on grass and other plants

2. informal  a liberal, idealistic, or nonmaterialistic person

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herbivore Scientific  

/ hûr′bə-vôr′,ûr′- /

1. An animal that feeds mainly or only on plants. In a food chain, herbivores are primary consumers.

2. Compare carnivore detritivore

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herbivore Cultural  

1. A living thing that eats only plants. Cattle, sheep, and horses are herbivores.

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Etymology

Origin of herbivore

1850–55; < New Latin herbivorus; herb, -i-, -vore

Example Sentences

Students must do a training stint in each of four main categories — carnivore, herbivore, bird and primate — so they may wind up working with animals they find unpleasant.

From Los Angeles Times

Their plans include bringing in large herbivores including ponies, hardy cattle and eventually even bison to graze the land naturally, and there are hopes pine martens, beavers and golden eagles could recolonise the landscape.

From BBC

My wife, an amateur mycologist, had been invited along with some friends to present their findings on the microscopic fungi that grow on the dung of herbivores like deer and rabbits.

From The Wall Street Journal

The herbivores’ insatiable appetite for vegetation and weeds is particularly helpful in steep, hard-to-reach areas where machines are unable to clear brush.

From Los Angeles Times

The medium-sized herbivore once roamed the floodplains of what is now the island's south-west coast.

From BBC

Related Words

• fruitarian
• vegan
• vegetarian