insectivorous

/ˌɪnsɛkˈtɪv(ə)ɹəs/

//ˌɪnsɛkˈtɪv(ə)ɹəs// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"insectivorous" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“insectivorous” is uncommon English (frequency #98,265 among 2,140 “I” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#98,265
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Feeding on insects.

Corpus desk

Index EN-insectivorous · insectivorous · English

insectivorous · rank #98,265 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #98,265
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH intensifier

Nearest frequency peer: intensifier (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “insectivorous”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “insectivorous” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for insectivorous
PropertyValue
Headwordinsectivorous
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌɪnsɛkˈtɪv(ə)ɹəs/
Letters13
Frequency rank#98,265
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “insectivorous” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).insectivorousfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “intensifier” (#98,266), “interlink” (#98,267), “inheritable” (#98,262). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “insectivorous” is #98,265. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

insectivorous is uncommon English at frequency #98,265 among 2,140 “I” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˌɪnsɛkˈtɪv(ə)ɹəs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

insectivorous has no tracked misspelling variants, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin insectum (“insect”) and -vorus, from vorō (“to eat”), equivalent to insectivore + -ous or insect + -i- + -vorous. The correct English form is insectivorous, spelled I-N-S-E-C-T-I-V-O-R-O-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Feeding on insects.
  2. 2
    Capable of trapping and absorbing insects; such as the sundew, pitcher plant and Venus flytrap.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how insectivorous appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Researchers in the Netherlands have linked neonicotinoids found in surface water to declines in insectivorous birds and there is widespread scientific evidence that neonicotinoids harm bees – reducing their ability to pollinate plants, for instance.

Etymology

From Latin insectum (“insect”) and -vorus, from vorō (“to eat”), equivalent to insectivore + -ous or insect + -i- + -vorous.

Synonyms

entomophagousinsectivorian

This word in other languages

insectívoro(Español)insectivore(Français)insektenfressend(Deutsch)insetívoro(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "insectivorous"?
"insectivorous" is spelled I-N-S-E-C-T-I-V-O-R-O-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɪnsɛkˈtɪv(ə)ɹəs/.
What does "insectivorous" mean?
As an adjective, "insectivorous" means: Feeding on insects.
How do you pronounce "insectivorous"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "insectivorous" is /ˌɪnsɛkˈtɪv(ə)ɹəs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "insectivorous"?
From Latin insectum (“insect”) and -vorus, from vorō (“to eat”), equivalent to insectivore + -ous or insect + -i- + -vorous. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "insectivorous", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 13 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

ineffectively#98,257industrialize#98,256incontestable#98,253lexicographer#98,367

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list