predator

American  

[pred-uh-ter, -tawr] / ˈprɛd ə tər, -ˌtɔr /

noun

• predators
  plural

1. Zoology. any organism that exists by preying upon other organisms.

   Cats are carnivorous predators.

2. a person or group that plunders, pillages, or robs, as in war.

   The Vikings were barbarian predators.

3. a person, group, or business that exploits, victimizes, or preys on others: corporate predators who go after smaller rivals.

   a sexual predator who targets children;

   corporate predators who go after smaller rivals.

4. an overbearing, greedy or selfish person.

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predator British  

/ ˈprɛdətə /

noun

1. any carnivorous animal

2. a predatory person or thing

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predator Scientific  

/ prĕd′ə-tər /

1. An animal that lives by capturing and eating other animals.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antipredator
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• predators
  plural

Etymology

Origin of predator

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin praedātor “plunderer, pillager,” equivalent to praedā(rī) “to plunder, pillage” (derivative of praeda “booty, plunder”) + -tor, agent noun suffix; see origin at prey, -tor

Explanation

A predator is an animal that eats other animals — or people or companies who act like they do. Lions are predators, but so are pickpockets and some giant corporations. The word predator started out referring to insects that ate other insects, but has grown to include any animal that eats another animal. We humans like to think of ourselves as the top of the food chain, but scary movies love to disagree, like in the 1987 movie Predator, where creepy aliens try to kill and eat us. Predators don't have to kill and eat you, though; they can also just take your stuff. It's from the Latin word praedator, which means "plunderer," which is more like something a pirate would do.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

predator predators

"We're talking about a true apex predator, a very large wild animal," says Parton.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

But many cannot survive in the true wild, where large-scale predator control remains an endless battle, and are instead sent to fenced nature reserves, themselves high-maintenance undertakings facing problems like in-breeding and overpopulation.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

It was a fast-running land predator that lived near rivers and lakes about 210 million years ago.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 30, 2026

He was an active participant in defending Andrew Tate, using his influence to validate an accused predator because it fit the edgy, anti-establishment aesthetic of the modern manosphere media.

From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026

Explosive increases in some kinds of soil organisms have occurred when others have been reduced by insecticides, disturbing the relation of predator to prey.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Scots Active say they patrol the streets to protect women and girls from sexual predators.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

Meta argues it implemented measures to protect young users from predators, such as restricting direct messages from adults.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

In other situations, I hoped that my studded accessories would communicate to predators that I do not identify as prey.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

A jury in New Mexico previously ordered Meta to pay $375 million after it found the company liable for endangering children by making them vulnerable to predators on its platforms, among other harms.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

Never before had the robot seen prey and predators so close and peaceful.

From "The Wild Robot" by Peter Brown