animalivora
|an-i-ma-li-vo-ra|
/ˌænɪməˈlɪvərə/
animal‑eaters (as a group)
Etymology
'animalivora' originates from Neo‑Latin, specifically the words 'animal' and 'vorare,' where 'animal' meant 'a living being' and 'vorare' meant 'to devour.'
'animalivora' was borrowed into English from New Latin scientific naming ('Animalivora') and eventually became the modern English term 'animalivora' used in historical zoological literature.
Initially, it meant 'animal‑eaters' as a taxonomic grouping; over time it became an obsolete/rare term in English, largely replaced by 'Carnivora' in formal classification.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a historical zoological taxon for mammals that feed primarily on other animals; used in older classifications roughly corresponding to or overlapping with Carnivora (sometimes contrasted with Herbivora).
In 19th‑century texts, animalivora was often contrasted with herbivora in mammal classification.
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Noun 2
collectively, animals that feed on other animals; animal‑eaters (nontechnical, rare).
On the island, the native animalivora include several raptors and snakes.
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Last updated: 2025/08/12 01:10