carnivore

Everyday

1. A carnivore is an animal that eats mainly meat, other animals. tree →
2. A carnivorous plant is a plant that traps and eats insects, like the Venus flytrap. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons on food chains, animals are sorted into carnivores (meat eaters), herbivores (plant eaters) and omnivores (both). Lions, sharks, eagles and wolves are carnivores; carnivores often have sharp teeth and claws. Phrases: carnivores and herbivores, a top carnivore.

Examples

• A lion is a carnivore. tree →
• Carnivores have sharp teeth for tearing meat. tree →
• Is a cow a carnivore or a herbivore? A herbivore. tree →
• Sharks are carnivores that eat fish and seals. tree →
• The Venus flytrap is a carnivorous plant. tree →
• In the food chain, the carnivore eats the herbivore. tree →
• Tyrannosaurus rex was a huge carnivore. tree →

Note

Countable noun; adjective: carnivorous. Compare: herbivore (eats plants), omnivore (eats both: people, bears, pigs). Trap: some animals people think are carnivores, like bears, are really omnivores. Pandas are in the carnivore family but eat mainly bamboo.