herbivore
/ˈhɜːbɪvɔː(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɜːrbɪvɔːr/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈ(h)ər-bə-ˌvȯr/ (ame, mw)
herbivore — noun
- herbivoresingular
- herbivoresplural
1. a living creature that obtains all its nutrients from plants — including leaves,
a living creature that obtains all its nutrients from plants — including leaves, grasses, fruits, seeds, and bark — rather than from meat or other animal matter.
The biologist explained that rabbits are herbivores and need a diet rich in hay and fresh vegetables.
herbivore + need + noun phrase describing diet requirements
Dr. Okonkwo studied the fossilised teeth of several herbivore species to understand what ancient landscapes looked like.
herbivore species — noun used as modifier before another noun
The zookeeper warned visitors not to feed meat to any of the herbivores in the children's petting area.
The Watanabe family watched a documentary about large African herbivores such as giraffes, zebras, and elephants.
The farmer rotates her herbivores between different pastures so the grass can regrow between grazing sessions.
- plant-eater
informal, everyday equivalent — simpler but less precise in scientific contexts
- grazer
a subset of herbivore that feeds mainly on grass at ground level, such as cattle or sheep
- browser
a subset of herbivore that feeds on leaves, twigs, and shoots from shrubs and trees, such as giraffes or deer
- carnivore
an animal that eats meat, the opposite dietary category
用法筆記
A countable noun in nearly all contexts: 'a herbivore', 'two herbivores'. The adjective form is herbivorous (e.g. 'herbivorous dinosaurs'), not 'herbivore'. In technical biology writing the noun can appear attributively before another noun: 'herbivore species', 'herbivore teeth'.