ruminant

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   related to or characteristic of animals of the suborder Ruminantia or any other animal that chews a cud

   ruminant mammals

2. 2
   adj

   Pondering; ruminative.

   “I wonder what a paradox is,” remarked the priest in a ruminant manner.

3. 3
   noun

   Any artiodactyl ungulate mammal which chews cud in the suborder Ruminantia, such as a cow or deer.

   Flesh behind steel and glass is unprotected From enemies that whisper to the blood; The scratch forgotten is the scratch infected; The ruminant, reason, chews a poisoned cud.

4. 4
   noun

   any of various cud-chewing hoofed mammals having a stomach divided into four (occasionally three) compartments

5. 5
   adj

   Chewing cud.

Etymology

From Latin rūmināns, rūminantem, present participle of rūminārī (“to chew the cud, ruminate”), from rūmen (“throat, gullet, rumen (first stomach of a ruminant)”).