carnivore
noun
car·ni·vore
ˈkär-nə-ˌvȯr 
1
a
: an animal (such as a dog, fox, crocodile, or shark) that feeds primarily or exclusively on animal matter : a carnivorous animal
Among the plankton are numerous diminutive but voracious carnivores, including small jellyfishes and comb jellies, saber-toothed creatures called arrowworms or chaetognaths, and a host of crustaceans and small fishes.—
Gregory A. Wray
Gregory A. WrayAs big as a bull elephant, T. rex weighed 15 times as much as the largest carnivores living on land today.—Erik Stokstad
Erik StokstadCarnivores [=people who eat meat] will appreciate the restaurant's refined version of surf-and-turf: steak au poivre matched with sweet, large prawns.—Matthew DeBord
Matthew DeBord
b
: any of an order (Carnivora) of animals that feed primarily or exclusively on animal matter : carnivoran
Farther back in their mouths lie some special teeth known as the carnassials. These are the hallmark of the true carnivores, or canivorans—members of a great order of placental mammals, the Carnivora.—Richard H. Tedford
Richard H. Tedford2
: a carnivorous plant
the Venus flytrap and other carnivores subsisting on insects
Examples of carnivore in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In Vietnam, particularly, conservation resources have historically been mostly focused on primates, elephants and large carnivores.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Understanding where these carnivores are living is crucial for informing conservation and land management decisions.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 Jan. 2026
The Australian Museum says dingoes are the continent’s largest mammal carnivore.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 20 Jan. 2026
Karin Saucedo, the Texas State coordinator for Project Coyote, a group that advocates for the preservation of wild carnivores, said one thing people don’t realize is behaviors that might feel threatening to them are the animals’ natural behavior.
—Elissa Jorgensen, Dallas Morning News, 15 Jan. 2026
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Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Understanding where these carnivores are living is crucial for informing conservation and land management decisions.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 Jan. 2026
The Australian Museum says dingoes are the continent’s largest mammal carnivore.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 20 Jan. 2026
Karin Saucedo, the Texas State coordinator for Project Coyote, a group that advocates for the preservation of wild carnivores, said one thing people don’t realize is behaviors that might feel threatening to them are the animals’ natural behavior.
—Elissa Jorgensen, Dallas Morning News, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for carnivore
Cite this Entry
“Carnivore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carnivore. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
carnivore
noun
car·ni·vore
ˈkär-nə-ˌvō(ə)r
-ˌvȯ(ə)r
1
: a flesh-eating animal
especially
: any of an order of flesh-eating mammals
2
: a plant that traps and digests insects
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