What does omnivorous mean?
Omnivorous describes an organism that eats both plants and animals, a feeding strategy found in humans, bears, pigs, and many other animals. It can also be used figuratively of people or minds that take in a wide range of subjects, materials, or experiences: an omnivorous reader, for example, moves easily from novels to science, history, poetry, and criticism. The word combines the sense of breadth with a note of appetite or enthusiasm, so it often suggests curiosity and adaptability as well as abundance. In biological writing it is a precise category defined by diet, while in general use it is rhetorical and may suggest someone willing to sample everything. The adjective comes through Latin omnivorus, “all-devouring,” and is related to words such as voracious and devour. Understanding both its literal and figurative uses makes it a useful word for describing dietary flexibility and intellectual curiosity.
adjectiveEating both plant matter and animal matter. Figuratively, having broad and varied tastes or interests.
- Eating both plant and animal matter.
- Taking an eager and wide-ranging interest in many subjects, kinds of information, or forms of entertainment.
"The red panda is omnivorous, eating bamboo, fruit, insects, and occasionally small birds."
"The omnivorous bear had a remarkably varied diet, including berries, roots, fish, and deer."
"An omnivorous reader, she was equally happy with detective novels, poetry, history, and scientific papers."
Omnivorous works beyond the dinner table: it can describe a bear, a diet, or a reader who is hungry for every kind of book.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does omnivorous come from?
Omnivorous was formed in the early 17th century from Latin omnivorus, meaning “all-devouring.” The Latin word combines omnis, “all,” with vorare, “to devour.” Related English words include carnivorous, herbivorous, voracious, and devour, all reflecting the same Latin root associated with eating.
Related word forms
How omnivorous is actually used
In biological contexts, the term is precise and usually describes an animal that consumes both plant and animal food. Its figurative use is complimentary when it conveys curiosity and intellectual breadth, though it can occasionally imply indiscriminate consumption or taste.
Easily confused with omnivorous
Omnivore is the noun naming an organism that eats both plants and animals, whereas omnivorous is the adjective describing that feeding habit.
Voracious means eating eagerly or in large quantities, not necessarily eating both plant and animal matter.