An organism that consumes other living things for energy is known as what?

An organism that consumes other living things for energy is termed a consumer. Consumers are classified in ecological terms based on their dietary roles. They depend on other organisms for nourishment—this can include eating plants, other animals, or both. This role is essential in food webs, as consumers help to transfer energy from the producers (organisms that generate their own food, typically through photosynthesis) to higher trophic levels.

In ecosystems, consumers can be herbivores (which eat plants), carnivores (which eat other animals), or omnivores (which consume both plants and animals). Thus, the definition fits the general classification of organisms that rely on the consumption of others for their energy needs, marking them clearly as consumers in the ecological hierarchy.

The other categories—such as producers, which create their own energy through photosynthesis; decomposers, which break down dead organic material; and herbivores, which specifically eat plants—are distinct roles within the ecosystem and do not encompass the broader and more inclusive definition of consumers.