insectivore

[ in-sek-tuh-vawr, -vohr ]

/ ɪnˈsɛk təˌvɔr, -ˌvoʊr /

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noun

an insectivorous animal or plant.

any mammal of the order Insectivora, comprising the moles, shrews, and Old World hedgehogs.

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Origin of insectivore

1860–65; back formation from insectivorous; see -vore

Words nearby insectivore

insectary, insecticide, insectifuge, insectile, Insectivora, insectivore, insectivorous, insectivorous bat, insectology, insect wax, insecure

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use insectivore in a sentence

It is a rare Insectivore of the genus Hylomys and possibly a species new to science.
Camps and Trails in China|Roy Chapman Andrews and Yvette Borup Andrews
In some of the characters of the teeth, Eupleres is Insectivore-like, and was formerly grouped with that family.
The Cambridge Natural History, Vol X., Mammalia|Frank Evers Beddard
Ericulus setosus is a small Insectivore, resembling externally a small Hedgehog.
The Cambridge Natural History, Vol X., Mammalia|Frank Evers Beddard
Indeed, one insectivore of the genus Sorex (the shrew-mouse genus) is the absolutely smallest mammal which is known to exist.
The Contemporary Review, Volume 36, September 1879|Various

The other is a peculiar insectivore (Solenodon paradoxus), the only other representatives of whose family are found in Madagascar.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 7|Various

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

Scientific 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.

Other words from insectivore

insectivorous adjective