carnivore: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2formal to neutral; technical in biology, informal for humans.
Quick answer
What does “carnivore” mean?
An animal that eats meat as its primary food source.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An animal that eats meat as its primary food source.
Informally, a person who enjoys or specializes in eating meat; any organism that primarily consumes animal tissue.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Minor spelling variation in related adjective ('carnivorous' is universal).
Connotations
Identical. The humorous application to a meat-loving person is equally common in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American media in dietary/paleo diet contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “carnivore” in a Sentence
[carnivore] + [prey on/feed on] + [animal][carnivore] + [such as/like] + [lion, tiger]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “carnivore” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (No standard verb form. Use 'to be carnivorous' or 'to eat meat'.)
American English
- (No standard verb form. Use 'to be carnivorous' or 'to eat meat'.)
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverb form. Use 'carnivorously' is extremely rare/non-standard.)
American English
- (No standard adverb form. Use 'carnivorously' is extremely rare/non-standard.)
adjective
British English
- The carnivorous dinosaur fossils were exceptionally well-preserved.
- He has decidedly carnivorous tastes.
American English
- The carnivorous plant caught several flies.
- Their family follows a carnivorous diet.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in restaurant/food industry contexts describing a menu or clientele preference.
Academic
Common in biology, ecology, paleontology, and environmental science.
Everyday
Used in general conversation about animals, diet, and nature documentaries.
Technical
Precise biological classification; terms like 'hypercarnivore' (>70% meat diet).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “carnivore”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “carnivore”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “carnivore”
- Using 'carnivore' for any dangerous animal (e.g., a venomous snake is not necessarily a carnivore in common parlance).
- Pronouncing it as /kɑːrˈnɪv.ɔːr/ (stress on second syllable).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Biologically, humans are omnivores. Calling a human a 'carnivore' is a humorous or metaphorical way to say they eat a lot of meat.
A 'carnivore' describes diet (meat-eating). A 'predator' describes behaviour (hunting and killing prey). All predators are carnivores, but not all carnivores are active predators (e.g., scavengers).
Yes, colloquially. 'Carnivorous plants' like the Venus flytrap consume insects and small animals, but the term is technically an analogy as they absorb nutrients, not 'eat' for energy like animals.
The direct biological opposite is 'herbivore' (plant-eater). 'Omnivore' eats both plants and meat.
An animal that eats meat as its primary food source.
Carnivore is usually formal to neutral; technical in biology, informal for humans. in register.
Carnivore: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɑː.nɪ.vɔːr/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɑːr.nɪ.vɔːr/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[He's/She's] a real carnivore. (humorous, for a person)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
"CARNIVORE" contains "CARNI" (think of 'carnival' of meat, or 'carnal' - flesh) and "VORE" (to devour, as in 'devour' or 'voracious'). A flesh-devourer.
Conceptual Metaphor
MEAT-EATING IS PRIMACY/DOMINANCE (e.g., 'apex carnivore' at the top of the food chain).
Practice
Quiz
In which context might the word 'carnivore' be used humorously?