insectivore
[ in-sek-tuh-vawr, -vohr ]
/ ɪnˈsɛk təˌvɔr, -ˌvoʊr /
|
noun
an insectivorous animal or plant.
any mammal of the order Insectivora, comprising the moles, shrews, and Old World hedgehogs.
Nearby words
insecticide, insecticides, insectifuge, insectile, insectivora, insectivore, insectivorous, insectivorous bat, insectology, insecure, insecurity
Origin of insectivore
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for insectivore
Indeed, one insectivore of the genus Sorex (the shrew-mouse genus) is the absolutely smallest mammal which is known to exist.
British Dictionary definitions for insectivore
insectivore
/ (ɪnˈsɛktɪˌvɔː) /
noun
any placental mammal of the order Insectivora, being typically small, with simple teeth, and feeding on invertebrates. The group includes shrews, moles, and hedgehogs
any animal or plant that derives nourishment from insects
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for insectivore
insectivore
1863, from French insectivore (1817), from Latin insectivorus, from comb. form of insectum (see insect) + vorare "devour, swallow" (see voracity).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Science definitions for insectivore
insectivore
[ ĭn-sĕk′tə-vôr′ ]
An animal or plant that feeds mainly on insects.
Any of various small, usually nocturnal mammals of the order Insectivora that feed on insects and other invertebrates. Insectivores have long snouts and resemble rodents, but lack gnawing incisors. Moles, shrews, hedgehogs, and tenrecs are insectivores.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.