omnivorous

[ om-niv-er-uhs ]

/ ɒmˈnɪv ər əs /

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See synonyms for: omnivorous / omnivorousness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

eating both animal and plant foods.

eating all kinds of foods indiscriminately.

taking in everything, as with the mind: an omnivorous reader.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of omnivorous

1650–60; <Latin omnivorus, equivalent to omni-omni- + -vorus-vorous

OTHER WORDS FROM omnivorous

om·niv·o·rism, nounom·niv·o·rous·ly, adverbom·niv·o·rous·ness, nounom·niv·o·rism, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH omnivorous

carnivorous, herbivorous, omnivorous

Words nearby omnivorous

omniscient, omnisexual, omnishambles, omnium-gatherum, omnivore, omnivorous, omn. man., omn. noct., omn. quadr. hor., Omolara, Omolon

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

How to use omnivorous in a sentence

Fat Bear Week celebrates Ursidae body image in the best way, as these omnivorous mammals are gorging before hibernation.
Environment Report: County Celebrates Then Sinks Its Climate Plan|MacKenzie Elmer|September 28, 2020|Voice of San Diego
If one had to describe his intellectual predilections in a word, it would have to be “omnivorous.”
Welcome to Tyler Cowen’s Future of Genius Machines|Robert Herritt|September 17, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Vegan women are only one-fifth as likely to have twins as are vegetarian and omnivorous women.
Can Food Make You Infertile? Foods to Eat and Avoid|Anneli Rufus|December 9, 2011|DAILY BEAST
He has an omnivorous and hyper intellect, and a quick wit—and is easily bored.
John McCain Discovers Technology a Year Too Late|Ana Marie Cox|March 10, 2009|DAILY BEAST

The Daily Beast is the omnivorous friend who hears about the best stuff and forwards it to you with a twist.
Q and A with Tina Brown|The Daily Beast|October 5, 2008|DAILY BEAST
It is quite within the limits of probability, for instance, that the man-ape at an early date became omnivorous in its diet.
Man And His Ancestor|Charles Morris
The young gorilla which was kept in captivity at Berlin became quite omnivorous in its diet.
Man And His Ancestor|Charles Morris
She was an omnivorous reader, especially of philosophic works, and very fond of discussing what she read.
Court Beauties of Old Whitehall|W. R. H. Trowbridge
They have a prejudice against milk; but in the matter of other sorts of food are omnivorous.
The Ethnology of the British Colonies and Dependencies|Robert Gordon Latham
Like many Edinburgh shopkeepers, Mr. Traill was a man of superior education and an omnivorous reader.
Greyfriars Bobby|Eleanor Atkinson

British Dictionary definitions for omnivorous

omnivorous

/ (ɒmˈnɪvərəs) /

adjective

eating food of both animal and vegetable origin, or any type of food indiscriminately

taking in or assimilating everything, esp with the mind

Derived forms of omnivorous

omnivorously, adverbomnivorousness, noun

Word Origin for omnivorous

C17: from Latin omnivorus all-devouring, from omni- + vorāre to eat greedily

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

omnivorous

Origin of omnivorous

OTHER WORDS FROM omnivorous

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH omnivorous

Words nearby omnivorous

Words related to omnivorous

How to use omnivorous in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for omnivorous

Derived forms of omnivorous

Word Origin for omnivorous