carrion
/'kæriən/
Definition
- Noun:
- The dead and decaying flesh of an animal: "Carrion" refers specifically to the carcass of a dead animal that is in a state of decomposition and is typically not consumed by humans.
- Something rotten or repulsive: By extension, it can metaphorically describe something that is vile, corrupt, or morally repugnant.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Vultures are scavengers that feed on carrion.
- The smell of carrion attracted flies and other insects to the forest floor.
Advanced Usage
- "Carrion crow": A specific species of crow () known for feeding on dead animals.
- A carrion crow was observed pecking at the roadside carcass.
- "Carrion flower": A common name for various plants, especially some species of , that produce flowers emitting an odor similar to rotting meat to attract pollinating insects.
- The carrion flower's unique smell is an adaptation for pollination.
Variants and Related Words
- Carrion-eater / Carrion feeder (n): An animal that scavenges on dead and decaying flesh.
- Hyenas are efficient carrion-eaters.
- Carrionous (adj, rare): Relating to or resembling carrion.
- A carrionous stench filled the air.
Synonyms
- Carcass: The dead body of an animal. (Note: "Carcass" is more neutral and can refer to a fresh or butchered body, while "carrion" strongly implies decay.)
- Rot: The process of decay, or decaying matter.
- Offal: The entrails and internal organs of an animal, often discarded as waste. (Note: This typically refers to parts from butchered animals, not necessarily decaying.)
Related Phrases and Idioms
- "Carrion comfort": A literary term, famously used by poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, meaning a comfort that is despairing, false, or derived from a morbid source.
- In his sonnet, he writes of finding no solace but "carrion comfort."
Noun
-
the dead and rotting body of an animal; unfit for human food
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ chứa "carrion"
Từ có nhắc đến "carrion"
