planktivore

plank·ti·vore
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US/ˈplæŋktɪˌvɔɹ/UK/ˈplæŋktɪˌvɔː//ˈplæŋktɪˌvo(ː)ɹ//ˈplæŋktɪˌvoə/

noun

An animal feeding primarily on plankton, such as a blue whale.

OriginLatin vorō ← Proto-Italic *worā ← Proto-Indo-European *gʷorh₃éh₂ →
Scrabble 20
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Meanings

nounplanktivore (plural planktivores)

plural planktivores

  1. biologyAn animal feeding primarily on plankton, such as a blue whale.

Origin

  1. Englishplankton
  2. Proto-Indo-European*gʷerh₃-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*gʷorh₃éh₂
  4. Proto-Italic*worā
  5. Latinvorō
  6. Englishplanktivore

From plankton + -vore.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

planktivore. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/planktivore

MLA

“planktivore.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/planktivore. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “planktivore,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/planktivore.

Source: planktivore on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.