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

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."

To destroy or consume something rapidly and completely.

"The wildfire devoured hundreds of acres of forest overnight."

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 notes

In plain EnglishTo eat, destroy, or take in something eagerly and quickly.

Common pairings

devour a book devour a meal flames devoured

Word forms

devoured past tense, devours singular

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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."

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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down pig consume raven guttle go through

Related words

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Rhymes for devour

our hour four your pour sour tour dour flour scour odour amour

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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.

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