Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

insectivorous

/ˌɪnsɛkˈtɪv(ə)ɹəs/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 1.97 in modern English

Syllables: in-sec-tiv-o-rous
IPA: /ˌɪnsɛkˈtɪv(ə)ɹəs/

18

Scrabble Score

13

Letters

5

Syllables

10

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Feeding on insects.

adj

Capable of trapping and absorbing insects; such as the sundew, pitcher plant and Venus flytrap.

Example Sentences

"Researchers in the Netherlands have linked neonicotinoids found in surface water to declines in insectivorous birds and there is widespread scientific evidence that neonicotinoids harm bees – reducing their ability to pollinate plants, for instance."

Etymology

From Latin insectum (“insect”) and -vorus, from vorō (“to eat”), equivalent to insectivore + -ous or insect + -i- + -vorous.

Origin

Source language: Latin

Word Breakdown

Root: insectum
Suffix: insectivore

Inflected Forms

more insectivorous (comparative) most insectivorous (superlative)

Frequently Paired Words

Insectivora insectivore insectivory

Synonyms

entomophagous insectivorian

Rhymes With

carnivorous omnivorous herbivorous piscivorous frugivorous sanguinivorous oryzivorous graminivorous granivorous aurivorous baccivorous fungivorous

Questions

How do you pronounce insectivorous?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˌɪnsɛkˈtɪv(ə)ɹəs/.
What does insectivorous mean?: Feeding on insects.
Where does insectivorous come from?: It is traced to Latin.

How to pronounce insectivorous

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “insectivorous”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌɪnsɛkˈtɪv(ə)ɹəs/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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