omnivore

1 synonym and 4 antonyms for omnivore, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — An animal that eats both plant and animal food rather than being restricted to one or the other.

Synonyms

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

generalist feeder

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

An animal that eats both plant and animal food rather than being restricted to one or the other.

“Bears are omnivores, taking berries, roots, fish and carrion as the season allows.”

generalist feeder

Opposites

herbivore carnivore

2. noun

A person who eats meat as well as plant foods, as opposed to a vegetarian or vegan.

“The menu is designed so that omnivores and vegans can share the same table.”

Opposites

vegan vegetarian

How to use omnivore

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

opportunistic omnivore omnivorous diet omnivores and herbivores

Neutral; used in biology and in everyday dietary talk.

Etymology

From Latin omnis 'all' and vorare 'to devour', so literally 'all-eating'.

Full origin of omnivore →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an omnivore and a carnivore?

A carnivore lives mainly or entirely on the flesh of other animals, while an omnivore digests both animal and plant matter and can survive on either. Many animals labelled carnivores, such as foxes, are in practice opportunistic omnivores.

Are humans really omnivores?

Yes, biologically. Human dentition, gut length and digestive enzymes suit a mixed diet, and populations worldwide have thrived on diets ranging from almost entirely animal to almost entirely plant. Being an omnivore describes what the body can process, not what any individual chooses to eat.

What is the adjective from omnivore?

Omnivorous. You can say 'raccoons are omnivorous' or 'she has omnivorous taste in music'.

People also searched

vegetarian vegan herbivore carnivore

Nearby words

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