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

One surprising finding is that domestic cats are the leading vertebrate predator of these invasive mantises, accounting for 45% of recorded positive predation events.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026

The natural phenomenon is caused by bioluminescent plankton, tiny creatures floating in the sea that have the ability to emit light when disturbed by a predator or motion.

From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026

By conserving these leopards, we are not only saving an iconic predator, but also preserving an evolutionary legacy shaped over thousands of years by one of the most distinctive landscapes on the African continent.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 24, 2026

"This seems to be the only case where a spider's web is designed to catch a single prey species, and where the mechanism is triggered by the prey rather than by the predator."

From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026

At times the zebra made noises about the predator just behind it, but mostly it lay in hopeless and sullen silence.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

As these adaptable predators continue expanding across Europe, researchers say public awareness, citizen science, and carefully targeted conservation efforts will be essential for protecting the continent's native biodiversity.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026

As apex predators, they keep the population of midlevel predators in check, allowing vegetation and other wildlife species lower on the food chain to thrive.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

"The first officers I spoke to said that police predators only exist in the mind of Daily Mail readers," she said.

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

Kicking off the channel’s ‘Sharkfest’—and streaming on Disney+ and Hulu—is an entertaining special on the search for the world’s most formidable marine predators.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

It occurred to her that the sounds might attract predators, and so she dragged unburned chunks of wood together and rekindled them with the still-hot coals.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer