ruminant

1 of 2

noun

ru·mi·nant ˈrü-mə-nənt

Synonyms of ruminant next

: an animal that chews the cud

specifically : an herbivorous, even-toed, hoofed mammal (suborder Ruminantia and Tylopoda) that has a complex 3- or 4-chambered stomach

Proving that being a ruminant is no bar to being a sophisticate, cows listening to Beethoven and Haydn upped their milk production by 5.5 percent. —

Jeffrey Kluger

Insoluble fiber comes from the structural components of plant cell walls … . It is made up of complex carbohydrates, but has no caloric value for humans; unlike ruminants … , we are unable to digest it. —

S. Boyd Eaton

Note: Ruminants include cattle, sheep, deer, goats, giraffes, camels, and llamas, although camels, llamas, and other camelids are sometimes not considered true ruminants because they possess a 3-chambered rather than a 4-chambered stomach.

ruminant

2 of 2

adjective

: chewing the cud : being a mammal that is a ruminant

ruminant animals

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a mammal that is a ruminant

ruminant digestion

: given to or engaged in contemplation : meditative

stood there … in this attitude of ruminant relish—

Thomas Wolfe

ruminantly adverb

Examples of ruminant in a Sentence

Adjective I wandered around campus all day in a ruminant mood.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This is largely because cattle, like goats or sheep, are ruminants: animals with four-chambered stomachs that ferment grass and other vegetation into consumable food. —

Melanie Stetson Freeman, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 July 2024 The disease, caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii, primarily affects ruminants — sheep, goats, and cows. —

Helen Branswell, STAT, 1 July 2024

Adjective

For example, rennet, which is a group of enzymes derived from the stomachs of cows and other ruminant animals, is a common ingredient in cheeses.14 Supplements Certain kinds of proteases are available in supplement form. —

Jillian Kubala, Health, 8 Aug. 2024 Vox obtained a copy of an internal Environmental Defense Fund policy that bars employees from purchasing meat from ruminant animals — cattle, sheep, and goats — at EDF offices and events due to their high carbon footprints, but says nothing of other meats, like chicken. —

Kenny Torrella, Vox, 7 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ruminant

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ruminant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1661, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of ruminant was in 1610

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Ruminant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruminant. Accessed 11 Sep. 2024.

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Kids Definition

ruminant

1 of 2 noun

ru·mi·nant ˈrü-mə-nənt

: a cud-chewing mammal

ruminant

2 of 2 adjective

: chewing the cud

: of or relating to a group of hoofed mammals (as sheep, oxen, deer, and camels) that chew the cud and have a complex 3- or 4-chambered stomach

: given to or engaged in contemplation : meditative

Medical Definition

ruminant

1 of 2 noun

ru·mi·nant ˈrü-mə-nənt

: a ruminant mammal

ruminant

2 of 2 adjective

: of or relating to two suborders (Ruminantia and Tylopoda) of even-toed hoofed mammals (as sheep, oxen, deer, and camels) that chew the cud and have a complex 3- or 4-chambered stomach

Last Updated: 6 Aug 2024 - Updated example sentences

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ruminant

noun

adjective

Synonyms

Examples of ruminant in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near ruminant

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition