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herbivorous

adjective
her·​biv·​o·​rous | \ ˌ(h)ər-ˈbiv-rəs How to pronounce herbivorous (audio) , -ˈbi-və-\

Definition of herbivorous

: feeding on plants

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Other Words from herbivorous

herbivory \ ˌ(h)ər-​ˈbi-​və-​rē How to pronounce herbivory (audio) \ noun

Did You Know?

Many herbivorous animals, such as rabbits, deer, sheep, and cows, are noted for their gentle and passive ways. But such behavior is not universal among herbivores. Rhinoceroses and elephants, for instance, are capable of inflicting serious damage if threatened, and among dinosaurs, the herbivorous Diplodocus had a thick tail that could be used as a lethal weapon against attacking carnivores. Herbivorous humans are usually called vegetarians.

Examples of herbivorous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Moa, giant ground-dwelling birds that went extinct soon after humans arrived in New Zealand, were herbivorous. Jenny Howard, National Geographic, "This toddler-size parrot was a prehistoric oddity," 6 Aug. 2019 This suggests that an herbivorous crocodyliform was successful in a variety of environments. Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Prehistoric Crocodiles Preferred Plants Over Prey," 28 June 2019 The femur bone is over six feet long and is thought to have belonged to a sauropod -- a subgroup of herbivorous, long-necked and four-legged dinosaurs common in the Jurassic era. Leah Asmelash And Brian Ries, CNN, "New bone, who dis? Paleontologists say this femur belongs to one of the biggest dinosaurs of all time," 26 July 2019 Their analysis revealed that half of the species examined were likely at least partially herbivorous, while some were probably insectivorous and others were strictly herbivores. Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Prehistoric Crocodiles Preferred Plants Over Prey," 28 June 2019 Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming America’s version of the Serengeti Plains features an array of large mammals, from apex predators like the grizzly bear and wolf to herbivorous herds of bison, elk, and pronghorn antelope. Joe Yogerst, National Geographic, "Top 10 wildlife encounters in parks," 9 Apr. 2019 There has been some evidence that A. wingei might have been an herbivorous variety of Arctotherium, but that's been difficult to prove or disprove without evidence. David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Divers Found Giant Bear and Wolf Remains in an Underwater Cave," 2 May 2019 Owen considered the animal might have been an insect-eater, breaking open termite nests like an anteater, but it is now known to have been herbivorous in its habits. Smithsonian, "How Darwin’s Theory of Evolution Evolved," 8 May 2018 The report uses four metrics to assess: live coral, fleshy macroalgae, commercial fishing, and herbivorous fish. Brian J. Skerry, National Geographic, "How One Country Is Restoring Its Damaged Ocean," 11 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'herbivorous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of herbivorous

1661, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for herbivorous

New Latin herbivorus, from Latin herba grass + -vorus -vorous

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More Definitions for herbivorous

herbivorous

adjective
her·​biv·​o·​rous | \ ˌhər-ˈbi-və-rəs How to pronounce herbivorous (audio) , ˌər-ˈbi-\

Kids Definition of herbivorous

: feeding on plants

herbivorous

adjective
her·​biv·​o·​rous | \ ˌ(h)ər-ˈbiv-ə-rəs How to pronounce herbivorous (audio) \

Medical Definition of herbivorous

1 : feeding on plants herbivorous mammals
2 : having a stout body and a long small intestine : endomorphic

Other Words from herbivorous

herbivorously adverb