predation

[pri-dey-shuhn]

noun

1. depredation; plundering.

2. act of plundering or robbing.

3. predatory behavior.

4. a relation between animals in which one organism captures and feeds on others.

predation

/ prɪˈdeɪʃən /

noun

1. a relationship between two species of animal in a community, in which one (the predator) hunts, kills, and eats the other (the prey)

Word History and Origins

Origin of predation¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Latin praedātiōn-, stem of praedātiō “a plundering,” from praedāt(us) “plundered” (past participle of praedārī “to plunder, pillage”; predator ) + -iō -ion ( def. )

Example Sentences

Puffins are a priority species in Northern Ireland and red-listed in the UK, putting them in the highest conservation concern bracket due to food shortages, climate change, and predation by invasive species.

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All the townsfolk are susceptible to Its predation, but kids are easier to scare.

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Instead, the U.S. is halting the first serious effort in four decades to rebuild America’s shipbuilding capacity, and a way to hold China accountable for its industrial predation.

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"You see the rise of mobility, predation, and, clearly, parasitism."

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Their findings, published in Science, reveal an astonishing story of night-time aerial chases, precision attacks, and predation in total darkness.

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