Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Carnivora

Carnivora

1 8.4
A group of mammals that mostly eat meat, like cats, dogs, and bears
  • noun
  • /kɑrˈnɪvərə/
  • Specialized
: Carnivora
  • Animals like wolves and tigers are classified within the Carnivora order due to their carnivorous diets.
  • the order Carnivora

Examples

  • Among those to emerge were the earliest carnivorans (members of the order Carnivora), whose living representatives include the cats and closely allied families, such as hyenas and mongooses, as well as dogs and closely allied families, such as bears, weasels, and seals.

    Academic text (2008)

  • Bears are diverse creatures that belong to the Carnivora order and primarily consume meat.

  • Mongooses belong to the mammalian order Carnivora and are most closely related to cats, civets, and hyenas.

    Academic text (1990)

  • The lion, a member of the Carnivora order, is known for its role as a top predator in the ecosystem.

Synonyms

order Carnivora
vsCarnivora
  • Specialized
1 5.6

A large group of mammals like cats, dogs, and bears

is narrower, focusing on mammals that mainly eat meat

Compounds

order Carnivora
  • Specialized
1 5.6

A large group of mammals like cats, dogs, and bears

Surface Forms

Carnivora singular
Carnivores plural
Carnivorae plural

Etymology

Carnivora comes from the parts carni- 'meat' and -vora 'to eat', the same idea behind the word carnivore. So Carnivora is the group of mammals that mainly eat meat, which is why animals like cats, dogs, and bears belong to it.