definitions

bird of prey

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR bird of prey ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

any of numerous predacious, flesh-eating birds, as the eagles, hawks, kites, vultures, falcons, and owls, having a sharp, downwardly curved beak, talons, and, usually, soaring flight.

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RELATED WORDS

predator, raptor

Nearby words

bird louse, bird of ill omen, bird of paradise, bird of passage, bird of peace, bird of prey, bird pepper, bird shot, bird spider, bird strike, bird table

Origin of bird of prey

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for bird of prey

  • Bird-of-prey here has been thought to have reference to the eagle, which was the standard of Cyrus.

    The Expositor's Bible|George Adam Smith

  • Who call from the sunrise a Bird-of-prey, from a land far-off the Man of My counsel.

    The Expositor's Bible|George Adam Smith

British Dictionary definitions for bird of prey

bird of prey

noun

a bird, such as a hawk, eagle, or owl, that hunts and kills other animals, esp vertebrates, for food. It has strong talons and a sharp hooked billRelated adjective: raptorial
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012