# devour

> English word · Verb · IPA /dɪˈvaʊə(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #23,239

## Definitions
1. To eat quickly, greedily, hungrily, or ravenously.
2. To rapidly destroy, engulf, or lay waste.
3. To take in avidly with the intellect or with one's gaze.
4. To absorb or engross the mind fully, especially in a destructive manner.
5. Synonym of eat: to be very good at something; to slay.

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English devouren, from Old French devorer (Modern French dévorer), from Latin dēvorō, from vorō.

## Easily confused with
- **dour** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devour-vs-dour)
- **devout** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devour-vs-devout)
- **devo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devo-vs-devour)
- **Devon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devon-vs-devour)
- **decor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decor-vs-devour)
- **Devos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devos-vs-devour)
- **devote** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devote-vs-devour)
- **devoid** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devoid-vs-devour)
- **detour** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/detour-vs-devour)
- **DevOps** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devops-vs-devour)
- **devious** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/devious-vs-devour)

## Common misspellings (8)
`ddevour`, `deovur`, `devoru`, `devourr`, `devuor`, `devvour`, `dveour`, `edvour`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/devour