carpophagous

9.9

An animal that eats mostly fruit

adjective
/ˌkɑːr.pəˈfæɡ.əs/

Specialized

: frugívoro

Many tropical bats are carpophagous, relying mainly on fruit for their diet.

Examples

A carpophagous bird contributes to seed dispersal by eating fruit and later excreting the seeds.
Studies have shown that carpophagous insects play a significant role in shaping fruit crop yields.
Look at that carpophagous bird eating fruit!
The carpophagous birds flock to the orchard.
Many tropical bats are carpophagous, relying mainly on fruit for their diet.
A carpophagous bird contributes to seed dispersal by eating fruit and later excreting the seeds.
Look at that carpophagous bird eating fruit!

Synonyms

fruit-eating

vscarpophagous

2.5

An animal that eats mostly fruit

feeds on fruit without implying it is the main dietary component

Surface Forms

carpophagous positive

Morphology

carpophagous = carpo + phag + ous

The meaning is compositionally clear from the classical elements 'carpo-' and 'phag' + '-ous', but these are learned bound morphemes rather than everyday English words.

Etymology

Carpophagous breaks into Greek parts carpo- meaning 'fruit' and -phagous meaning 'eating', so it literally means 'fruit-eating'. That's why a carpophagous animal feeds mainly on fruit.