adjective
carnivorous
kah-NIHV-uh-ruhs
Carnivorous (adjective) means feeding mainly or entirely on the flesh of other animals. Example: “Sharks are carnivorous, feeding almost exclusively on other sea creatures.”
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
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more carnivorous
- Superlative
- most carnivorous
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Sharks are _____, feeding almost exclusively on other sea creatures.
Etymology
From Latin carnivorus, "flesh-eating" — the adjective form of the same root behind "carnivore."
Synonyms
View more →
sarcophagic
sarcophagous
Antonyms
herbivorous
insectivorous
omnivorous
Related words
Rhymes for carnivorous
See all rhymes for carnivorous →Frequently asked questions
What does “carnivorous” mean?
The word “carnivorous” means feeding mainly or entirely on the flesh of other animals. In plain terms, meat-eating — describing animals (or even plants, like the venus flytrap) that consume other living things for food.
How do you pronounce “carnivorous”?
“Carnivorous” is pronounced kah-NIHV-uh-ruhs (/kɑɹˈnɪv.ə.ɹəs/ in IPA).
How do you use “carnivorous” in a sentence?
Here is “carnivorous” used in a sentence: “Sharks are carnivorous, feeding almost exclusively on other sea creatures.”
What is another word for “carnivorous”?
Words with a similar meaning to “carnivorous” include sarcophagic and sarcophagous.
What part of speech is “carnivorous”?
“Carnivorous” is an adjective.
Where does the word “carnivorous” come from?
The word “carnivorous” comes from Latin. From Latin carnivorus, "flesh-eating" — the adjective form of the same root behind "carnivore.".
