carnivorous
UK: kɑːˈnɪvərəs | US: kɑːrˈnɪvərəs
adj. (of an animal) feeding on other animals
adj. (figuratively) aggressively competitive or predatory
carnivorous = carni<flesh> + vor<devour> + ous<adjective suffix>
- carni: From Latin carnis (genitive of caro), meaning "flesh."
- vor: From Latin vorare, meaning "to devour" or "swallow."
- ous: A suffix forming adjectives, indicating "full of" or "having the quality of."
Etymology Origin:
The word carnivorous traces back to Latin carnivorus, combining carno- (flesh) and -vorus (devouring). It reflects a biological adaptation where animals (e.g., lions, wolves) evolved to consume meat as their primary diet. The term later extended metaphorically to describe human behaviors marked by ruthlessness or exploitation.
Lions are carnivorous predators at the top of the food chain.
The Venus flytrap is a rare carnivorous plant.
His carnivorous business tactics earned him a reputation for aggression.
Carnivorous dinosaurs like the T-Rex dominated the Cretaceous period.
The documentary highlighted the hunting strategies of carnivorous marine species.