adjective
carnivorous
kah-NIHV-uh-ruhs
adjective
1
Feeding mainly or entirely on the flesh of other animals.
"Sharks are carnivorous, feeding almost exclusively on other sea creatures."
"The venus flytrap is a carnivorous plant that traps and digests insects."
How to Use Carnivorous
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMeat-eating — describing animals (or even plants, like the venus flytrap) that consume other living things for food.
Common pairings
carnivorous plant
carnivorous animal
carnivorous diet
Word Forms
more carnivorous comparative, most carnivorous superlative
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Sharks are _____, feeding almost exclusively on other sea creatures.
Etymology
From Latin carnivorus, "flesh-eating" — the adjective form of the same root behind "carnivore."