3 syllables: Her, biv, ores. Stress on Her.
URR-biv-awrz
/ˈɜːrbɪˌvɔːrz/
Herbivores is pronounced URR-biv-awrz (/ˈɜːrbɪˌvɔːrz/). It has three syllables (Her-biv-ores), with the stress on "Her". Herbivores are animals that primarily eat plants. The term designates species whose diets consist mainly of leaves, stems, roots, seeds, and fruits rather than animal matter. It is commonly used in biology, ecology, and wildlife discourse to distinguish plant-eating from omnivorous or carnivorous species.
nounHerbivores are animals that primarily eat plants. The term designates species whose diets consist mainly of leaves, stems, roots, seeds, and fruits rather than animal matter. It is commonly used in biology, ecology, and wildlife discourse to distinguish plant-eating from omnivorous or carnivorous species.
"Giraffes and many species of deer are classic herbivores."
"In the savanna, herbivores form the base of the ecosystem by converting vegetation into energy for predators."
"Researchers study herbivores to understand plant-animal interactions and ecosystem balance."
Herbivores is pronounced with three syllables: /ˈhɜːr.bɪ.vɔːrz/ in US, /ˈhɜː.bɪ.vɔːz/ in UK/AU. The primary stress lands on the first syllable 'HER', the middle is a quick 'bi', and the final is a dark, rounded 'vores' with an r-colored vowel. Practice by saying 'HER' + 'bih' + 'vores', keeping the final /z/ sound, not a hard 's'. Listen to a sample in a biology lecture or pronunciation resource to feel the rhythm.
Common errors: 1) Slurring into ‘herb-uh-vors’ by reducing the middle syllable; 2) Misplacing stress as on the second syllable; 3) Pronouncing the final as ‘-verse’ or with a /s/ instead of /z/. Correction: keep the primary stress on the first syllable, pronounce the middle as a quick 'bi' (short i), and voicing the final as /z/; ensure the 'er' in first syllable uses /ɜː/ or /ɜ/ and avoid a weak ending sound. Use minimal pair practice with native timing for clarity.
US: /ˈhɜːr.bɪ.vɔːrz/ with rhoticity; UK/AU: /ˈhɜː.bɪ.vɔːz/ often with non-rhotic linking in careful speech, and final /z/ more common in AU. The vowel in the first syllable is central and mid-back; the second syllable uses a short /ɪ/; the final vowel is a long /ɔː/ in most dialects. In connected speech, US may link /r/ more strongly than UK; practice both to feel the differences.
Two main challenges: the tri-syllabic rhythm with a stressed initial syllable and a final voiced consonant cluster, which can blur into /ˈhɜːr.bɪ.vɔːz/ or /-vɔːrz/; and the mid syllable 'bi' which often becomes a quick, reduced vowel in fluent speech. Work on keeping the middle /bɪ/ distinct and ensuring the final /z/ is voiced. Slow, then speeded practice helps reinforce the clean release of each segment.
There are no silent letters in herbivores. Each syllable carries a distinct vowel sound: /ˈhɜːr/ in the first syllable, /bɪ/ in the second, and /vɔːrz/ in the final; the 'r' is pronounced in American and some Australian speech, while it may be less prominent or vocalized in some UK varieties. Emphasize the full pronunciation, not silent segments.
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Herbivores derives from Latin herb(a) ‘grass, green plant’ and vorare ‘to devour, eat greedily’. The combining form -vore comes from Latin vorare, which also yields omnivore, carnivore, and fossilized forms in biological taxonomy. The word entered scientific English in the 19th century as zoologists formalized classifications of animal diets. Early usage emphasized distinction from carnivores (meat-eaters) and insectivores, later expanding to include omnivores and specialized plant-eaters such as folivores (leaf-eaters) and frugivores (fruit-eaters). The modern term herbivore therefore specifies animals with a plant-based diet as their primary, sometimes exclusive, feeding strategy. Over time, it has generalized in popular science writing to encompass any non-meat-eating creature that relies on vegetation for sustenance, including both large herbivores and small herbivores, across mammals, birds, insects, and reptiles.
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Words that rhyme with "Herbivores"
-ers sounds
-r's sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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