herbivore
Herbivore (noun) means an animal that feeds on plants rather than on other animals. Example: “Cows, rabbits and grasshoppers are all herbivores.”
How to Use Herbivore
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn animal that eats plants.
Neutral; standard biology vocabulary taught from primary school.
The -vore ending always means eater; herbi-, carni- and omni- tell you what is eaten.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Cows, rabbits and grasshoppers are all _____.
Etymology
From Latin herba 'grass, plant' and vorare 'to devour'.
Synonyms
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Related Words
Rhymes for herbivore
See all rhymes for herbivore →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a herbivore and a vegetarian?
Herbivore describes an animal whose biology suits a plant diet, including its teeth and digestive system. Vegetarian describes a human choosing not to eat meat. A cow is a herbivore; a person is a vegetarian.
Is it a herbivore or an herbivore?
British English pronounces the h and writes a herbivore. American English often drops the h in this word's related forms, so an herbivore is common there. Both are correct in their own varieties.
What is the difference between a herbivore, a grazer and a browser?
Grazers and browsers are types of herbivore. Grazers such as zebra eat grass at ground level; browsers such as giraffes eat leaves, shoots and fruit from shrubs and trees.