'faunivore' originates from modern English coinage, formed by combining the Neo-Latin/Latin word 'fauna' (referring to animal life) with the suffix '-vore', ultimately from Latin 'vorare' meaning 'to devour'.

'faunivore' is a modern formation rather than a word with a long medieval history; it derives from the Latin root 'fauna' plus the Latin-derived suffix '-vore' (from 'vorare'), following the model of words like 'herbivore' and 'carnivore'.

Initially coined to mean 'an eater of fauna' in scientific or descriptive contexts, its meaning has remained essentially that same specialized sense.