carnivorous
adjective
car·niv·o·rous
kär-ˈni-v(ə-)rəs 
1
: subsisting or feeding on animal tissues
2
of a plant
: subsisting on nutrients obtained from the breakdown of animal protoplasm (as of insects)
3
: of or relating to the carnivores
4
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The order of mammals that Linnaeus named the Carnivora includes such families as the dogs, the bears, the raccoons, the weasels, the hyenas, the cats, and the seals. Most carnivores eat only meat in the wild, but some have varied diets; some bears, for instance, normally eat far more vegetation than meat. Carnivores have powerful jaws and complex teeth, and most are highly intelligent. Humans, like their ape cousins, are basically omnivores.
Examples of carnivorous in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Birds are thought to have descended from carnivorous dinosaurs that began growing feathers by the Late Jurassic Period; thus, birds are technically one lineage of reptiles.
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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Besides carnivorous snake-trees, majestic candlehawks, and various glittering quasi-insects, the Scythian biome includes a species called the basket-men, who look like a cross between great apes and praying mantises.
—Stephanie Burt, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
Leave the vegetarians at home and bring your bravest, carnivorous dining partner.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
Kociba and other team leaders, including executive chief engineer Tony Roma, flaunted the Grand Sport’s carnivorous roar at Spring Mountain Motor Resort in Nevada, where roughly 10 miles of desert track lures approximately 4,500 Corvette owners each year for performance-driving instruction.
—Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2026
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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Besides carnivorous snake-trees, majestic candlehawks, and various glittering quasi-insects, the Scythian biome includes a species called the basket-men, who look like a cross between great apes and praying mantises.
—Stephanie Burt, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
Leave the vegetarians at home and bring your bravest, carnivorous dining partner.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
Kociba and other team leaders, including executive chief engineer Tony Roma, flaunted the Grand Sport’s carnivorous roar at Spring Mountain Motor Resort in Nevada, where roughly 10 miles of desert track lures approximately 4,500 Corvette owners each year for performance-driving instruction.
—Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for carnivorous
Cite this Entry
“Carnivorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carnivorous. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
carnivorous
adjective
car·niv·o·rous
kär-ˈniv-(ə-)rəs
1
a
: feeding on animal tissues
b
: trapping and digesting insects
carnivorous plants
2
: of or relating to the carnivores
Medical Definition
carnivorous
adjective
car·niv·o·rous
kär-ˈniv-(ə-)rəs
1
: subsisting or feeding on animal tissues
2
: of or relating to the carnivores
carnivorously
adverb
carnivorousness
noun
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