devour

verb

de·​vour di-ˈvau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce devour (audio)
dē-
devoured; devouring; devours

transitive verb

1
: to eat up greedily or ravenously
devoured the turkey and mashed potatoes
2
: to use up or destroy as if by eating
We are devouring the world's resources.
3
: to prey upon
devoured by guilt
4
: to enjoy avidly
devours books
devourer noun

Examples of devour in a Sentence

He devoured everything on his plate. The lions devoured their prey. She devoured every golf magazine she could find. He watched intently, devouring the scene before him with his eyes.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In Scottish folklore, the kelpie is a shape-shifting creature that lives underwater and can easily devour humans. Catherine Garcia, theweek, 31 Oct. 2024 Styled as Pac-Man, the figure is depicted on the verge of devouring a blue dot. R. Daniel Foster, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024 It was eaten then, too: An art student from Seoul National University removed the fruit and devoured it, before taping the peel back to the wall. Oscar Holland, CNN, 25 Oct. 2024 Drag queens in Mugler-esque bodysuits sauntered around the crowd, and desserts like mini ice cream sandwiches were devoured. Lea Donenberg, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for devour 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French devour-, stem of devorer, from Latin devorare, from de- + vorare to devour — more at voracious

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of devour was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near devour

Cite this Entry

“Devour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devour. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

devour

verb
de·​vour di-ˈvau̇(ə)r How to pronounce devour (audio)
1
: to eat up greedily or hungrily
devoured everything on his plate
2
: to use up or destroy as if by eating
fire devoured the barn
3
: to enjoy eagerly
devour a book

More from Merriam-Webster on devour

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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