Carnivore

Pronunciation
/KAR-nih-vohr/
Category
Diet
Singular
Carnivore
Plural
Carnivores

Definition

An organism that primarily consumes animal flesh.

Etymology

From Latin 'carnivorus', meaning 'flesh-eating', from 'caro' meaning 'flesh' and 'vorare' meaning 'devour'.

Example

Some species of spiders, such as the wolf spider, are carnivores that actively hunt their prey.

Synonyms

Related Terms

Usage Notes

In entomology and arachnology, 'carnivore' refers to any meat-eating organism, not limited to the order Carnivora.