Car"ri*on (?), n. [OE. caroyne, OF. caroigne, F. charogne, LL. caronia, fr. L. caro flesh Cf. Crone, Crony.]
1.
The dead and putrefying body or flesh of an animal; flesh so corrupted as to be unfit for food.
They did eat the dead carrions.
Spenser.
2.
A contemptible or worthless person; -- a term of reproach.
[Obs.] "Old feeble
carrions."
Shak.
© Webster 1913.
Car"ri*on, a.
Of or pertaining to dead and putrefying carcasses; feeding on carrion.
A prey for carrion kites.
Shak.
Carrion beetle Zool., any beetle that feeds habitually on dead animals; -- also called sexton beetle and burying beetle. There are many kinds, belonging mostly to the family Silphidae. -- Carrion buzzard Zool., a South American bird of several species and genera (as Ibycter, Milvago, and Polyborus), which act as scavengers. See Caracara. -- Carrion crow, the common European crow (Corvus corone) which feeds on carrion, insects, fruits, and seeds.
© Webster 1913.