rapacious

[ ruh-pey-shuhs ]
See synonyms for: rapaciousrapaciousnessrapacity on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. given to seizing for plunder or the satisfaction of greed.

  2. inordinately greedy; predatory; extortionate: a rapacious disposition.

  1. (of animals) subsisting by the capture of living prey; predacious.

Origin of rapacious

1
First recorded in 1645–55; from Latin rapāci- (stem of rapāx “greedy,” akin to rapere “to seize”; see rape1) + -ous

synonym study For rapacious

2. See avaricious.

Other words for rapacious

Opposites for rapacious

Other words from rapacious

  • ra·pa·cious·ly, adverb
  • ra·pac·i·ty [ruh-pas-i-tee], /rəˈpæs ɪ ti/, ra·pa·cious·ness, noun
  • un·ra·pa·cious, adjective
  • un·ra·pa·cious·ly, adverb

Words Nearby rapacious

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use rapacious in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for rapacious

rapacious

/ (rəˈpeɪʃəs) /


adjective
  1. practising pillage or rapine

  2. greedy or grasping

  1. (of animals, esp birds) subsisting by catching living prey

Origin of rapacious

1
C17: from Latin rapāx grasping, from rapere to seize

Derived forms of rapacious

  • rapaciously, adverb
  • rapacity (rəˈpæsɪtɪ) or rapaciousness, noun

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