Spanish word

rumiante

Pronunciation

IPA/ruˈmjante/

Meaning

  • masculine nounruminant

Example

Los rumiantes descansan tras comer.

Ruminants rest after eating.

Illustration for rumiante (ruminant)

More examples

Los agricultores compran forraje para rumiantes en temporada seca.

Farmers buy fodder for ruminants in the dry season.

Core concept

Mammal that swallows plant material, regurgitates it, and chews it again.

Common phrases

  • animales rumiantes

    ruminant animals

  • forraje para rumiantes

    fodder for ruminants

Similar words

ruminante: Animal with a habit of returning swallowed plant food to the mouth to be chewed again.
ruminación: Rechewing of previously swallowed food after bringing it back up to the mouth.
herbívoro: Animal adapted to eating primarily plants.

Definition in Spanish

Mamífero que, tras ingerir plantas, regurgita y mastica de nuevo el alimento para mejorar la digestión, como ocurre en vacas y ovejas.

Word origin

Derives from Latin ruminare 'to chew again', itself from rumen 'first stomach of cud-chewing animals', and uses the Spanish agent suffix -ante to mean 'one that ruminates'.

Usage tips

  • In everyday speech rumiante often sounds formal, while the verb rumiar is commonly used figuratively to mean 'to mull over' or 'to brood'.

Related words

  • rumiarponderverb
  • rumiaciónruminationnoun

Word lists with this word