verb
Uncommon
devour
dih-VOW-uh
Devour (verb) means to eat something quickly and hungrily. Example: “The kids devoured the pizza within minutes of it arriving.”
verb
1
To eat something quickly and hungrily.
"The kids devoured the pizza within minutes of it arriving."
"He was so hungry he devoured the whole sandwich in three bites."
2
To destroy or consume something rapidly and completely.
"The wildfire devoured hundreds of acres of forest overnight."
3
To take in eagerly with the mind, especially reading material.
"She devoured every book in the series within a week."
How to use devour
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo eat, destroy, or take in something eagerly and quickly.
Common pairings
devour a book
devour a meal
flames devoured
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- devours
- Past tense
- devoured
Fill the gap
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The kids _____ the pizza within minutes of it arriving.
Etymology
From Old French devorer, from Latin dēvorāre, built from de- (intensifying) and vorāre, "to swallow."
Related words
Rhymes for devour
See all rhymes for devour →Frequently asked questions
What does “devour” mean?
The word “devour” means to eat something quickly and hungrily. In plain terms, to eat, destroy, or take in something eagerly and quickly.
How do you pronounce “devour”?
“Devour” is pronounced dih-VOW-uh (/dɪˈvaʊɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “devour” in a sentence?
Here is “devour” used in a sentence: “The kids devoured the pizza within minutes of it arriving.”
What part of speech is “devour”?
“Devour” is a verb.
Where does the word “devour” come from?
The word “devour” comes from Latin. From Old French devorer, from Latin dēvorāre, built from de- (intensifying) and vorāre, "to swallow.".
Is “devour” a common word?
“Devour” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “devour” have?
“Devour” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to eat something quickly and hungrily.
