[jc]

jc asked the Naked Scientists:

What is a carnivore?

What do you think?

[DoctorBeaver]

The name "carnivore" is derived from 2 Latin words. "Caro" meaning flesh, and "vorare" meaning to eat ("voracious" is derived from vorare), devour.

In Latin these 2 words were combined to produce "carivorus", one who devours flesh.

The French naturalist Baron Cuvier applied the term Carnivora to a large group of meat-eating mammals in 1830. The term "carnivore" itself is first recorded in 1854.

So, I believe the strict answer to your question is that "carnivore" means "any creature that devours flesh". These days, however, it is applied to animals that consume only meat. Those that consume meat and other food stuffs are referred to as being "omniverous" which means "all consuming" (again from Latin).

[blakestyger]

And vorare comes originally from vorax, a pit.

[Make it Lady]

My two growing boys are bottomless vorax.

[DoctorBeaver]

And vorare comes originally from vorax, a pit.

Does it? I thought vorax was derived from vorare and is an adjective meaning glutttonous.

Are you maybe confusing vorax with vorago which means a chasm, pit or abyss?