prey

[ prey ]

noun

1. an animal hunted or seized for food, especially by a carnivorous animal.
2. a person or thing that is the victim of an enemy, a swindler, a disease, etc:

   a con man looking for his next prey.

   Synonyms: gull, dupe, mark

3. the action or habit of preying:

   a beast of prey.

4. Archaic. booty or plunder.

verb (used without object)

1. to seize and devour prey, as an animal does (usually followed by on or upon ):

   Foxes prey on rabbits.

2. to make raids or attacks for booty or plunder:

   The Vikings preyed on coastal settlements.

3. to exert a harmful or destructive influence:

   His worries preyed upon his mind.

4. to victimize another or others (usually followed by on or upon ):

   loan sharks that prey upon poor people.

prey

/ preɪ /

noun

1. an animal hunted or captured by another for food
2. a person or thing that becomes the victim of a hostile person, influence, etc
3. beast of prey
   an animal that preys on others for food
4. bird of prey
   a bird that preys on others for food
5. an archaic word for booty 1

verb

1. to hunt or seize food by killing other animals
2. to make a victim (of others), as by profiting at their expense
3. to exert a depressing or obsessive effect (on the mind, spirits, etc); weigh heavily (upon)

Derived Forms

• ˈpreyer, noun

Other Words From

• preyer noun
• un·preying adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of prey¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English prei(e), preye, “booty, plunder, prey,” from Old French proie, praie, preie, from Latin praeda; akin to prehendere to grasp, seize; prehension

Word History and Origins

Origin of prey¹

C13: from Old French preie, from Latin praeda booty; see predatory

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. fall prey (to), to be victimized, harmed, or killed: fall prey to internet scams.

   chickens that fell prey to a hawk;

   fall prey to internet scams.

Example Sentences

Such conflict favors the spread of disinformation, and even good-faith actors can fall prey to it when drawn into this dynamic.

From Salon

"It makes sense that ecological pressures start to knock down the population -- for instance, native species like spiders, wasps, and birds are learning to prey on the lanternflies."

From Science Daily

At this distance, the prey entered the so-called cone of capture, from which escape was impossible.

From Science Magazine

Most spiders—including known slingshotters—capture prey when it makes contact with their sticky webs.

From Science Magazine

On average, the spiders shot their web at the live prey when it came within 1.5 centimeters of their web, and at the tuning fork when it was 2.9 centimeters from their web.

From Science Magazine