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Definition of devour

devour

/dɪˈvaʊ.ɚ/
de · vour
Adjective:devourable
•
Past Simple:devoured
•
Past Participle:devoured
•
Present Participle:devouring
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devour Lexical Profile

devour Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To eat food or prey hungrily, quickly, and greedily.

Example

"After hiking for six hours in the mountains, the campers devoured their hot dinner within minutes."

2

To read, watch, or take in something with great eagerness and enthusiasm.

Example

"She devoured the entire mystery novel over a single rainy weekend."

3

To destroy, consume, or engulf completely (especially of fire, disease, or time).

Example

"The fast-moving wildfire devoured thousands of acres of dry timber before firefighters could contain it."

4

To overwhelm or preoccupied someone completely (of an intense emotion or thought).

Example

"He was devoured by curiosity about what lay behind the locked door."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for devour

• Nearby Words

devotee
devotion
devotional
devour
devourable
devourer
devout

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the 14th century from Old French devorer, which comes from the Latin verb devorare ('to swallow down'), formed from the intensive prefix de- ('down, completely') and vorare ('to swallow' or 'to eat greedily'), the same root found in 'voracious' and 'carnivore'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Devour. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/devour
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