predator

American  

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

noun

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

• antipredator noun

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; 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

When one man, Samuel Bateman, transforms himself from a schlubby loser to a new cult leader, Marie realizes he’s a predator and goes undercover, befriending him to bring him down.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Like prey worn down by a persistent predator, participants don’t collapse all at once; they give up gradually until the fight leaves the market altogether.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

Combining direct sightings with modern tracking technologies could help scientists develop evidence based conservation strategies to protect this iconic predator.

From Science Daily • Mar. 11, 2026

By examining 17 tyrannosaur specimens ranging from young juveniles to enormous adults, researchers determined that the famous predator likely continued growing for around 40 years before reaching its maximum weight of roughly eight tons.

From Science Daily • Mar. 5, 2026

As they pushed on, they encountered a strange universe of unknown creatures that included a 450-pound, six-foot kangaroo, and a marsupial lion, as massive as a modern tiger, that was the continent’s largest predator.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari