herbivores
|her-bi-vore|
🇺🇸
/ˈhɝbəvɔr/
🇬🇧
/ˈhɜːbɪvɔː/
(herbivore)
plant-eating animal
Etymology
'herbivore' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'herbivorus', where 'herba' meant 'grass, herb' and 'vorare' meant 'to devour'.
'herbivore' changed from the Neo-Latin word 'herbivorus' and was adopted into English in the 19th century as 'herbivore'.
Initially, it meant 'plant-eating' (literally 'grass-devouring'), and over time it has retained the same core meaning of 'an organism that eats plants'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
animals that feed mainly on plants.
Herbivores such as deer and rabbits help shape plant communities by selective grazing.
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Noun 2
in ecology, organisms that obtain energy and nutrients primarily from plant material.
In many ecosystems, herbivores play a key role in transferring energy from primary producers to higher trophic levels.
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Last updated: 2025/09/13 17:55