herbivorous

adjective

her·​biv·​o·​rous ˌ(h)ər-ˈbi-və-rəs 

-ˈbiv-rəs

: feeding on plants

herbivory

ˌ(h)ər-ˈbi-və-rē 

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

Triceratops is a large, herbivorous dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period (100.5-66 million years ago). —Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024

The shifts in local climates most likely allowed herbivorous dinosaurs to grow bigger and more plentiful. —Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Dec. 2024

But as climate shifts increased the diversity of plants and flowers, herbivorous dinosaurs grew larger and more prevalent. —Michael Irving, New Atlas, 29 Nov. 2024

While manatees are herbivorous and pose no threat to humans, other species in the Everglades are not so harmless. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

herbivorous

adjective

her·​biv·​o·​rous ˌ(h)ər-ˈbiv-ə-rəs 

: eating or living on plants

Medical Definition

herbivorous

adjective

her·​biv·​o·​rous ˌ(h)ər-ˈbiv-ə-rəs 

1

: feeding on plants

herbivorous mammals

2

: having a stout body and a long small intestine : endomorphic

herbivorously adverb