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
Did you know?
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
The story revolves around an ancient species of carnivorous piranhas that are unleashed in the lake, leading to a bloody and wild fight for survival among the unsuspecting revelers.
—
Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 28 Oct. 2025
In the arid landscape of Western Australia, a carnivorous marsupial once roamed.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
Record depths and strange forms Another standout discovery is the carnivorous bivalve Myonera aleutiana, found at depths between 5,170 and 5,280 meters.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
These pretty pink jellyfish are carnivorous and have stinging tentacles that can reach up to 70 feet long.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for carnivorous
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 28 Oct. 2025
In the arid landscape of Western Australia, a carnivorous marsupial once roamed.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
Record depths and strange forms Another standout discovery is the carnivorous bivalve Myonera aleutiana, found at depths between 5,170 and 5,280 meters.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
These pretty pink jellyfish are carnivorous and have stinging tentacles that can reach up to 70 feet long.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for carnivorous
Cite this Entry
“Carnivorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carnivorous. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share