carnivore
UK /ˈkɑː.nɪ.vɔː/ · US /ˈkɑɹ.nɪ.voɹ/ noun, proper noun
Forms carnivores
- noun An organism that feeds chiefly on animals; an animal that feeds on meat as the main part of its diet. “As juveniles the crocodiles are frequently predated by larger carnivores.”
- noun (zoology) A mammal belonging to the order Carnivora. “The panda and the panther are both carnivores.”
- noun (informal) A person who is not a vegetarian.
- noun (informal) A follower of the carnivore diet.
- proper noun a computer system designed by the FBI to monitor e-mail and electronic communications
Synonyms
meateater zoophage carnivoran meatarian meatatarian kreophagist nonvegetarian bloodmouth
Etymology
Borrowed from French carnivore, from Latin carnivorus. In the zoological sense, coined by William Whewell in 1840 as an adaptation of Cuvier's coinage, French carnivore.
Webster’s 1913
- noun One of the Carnivora.
Etymology [Cf. F. carnivore.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “carnivore”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details