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

Example Sentences

Imagine a baby Brachiosaurus no bigger than a golden retriever searching for plants alongside its siblings while trying to avoid predators eager for an easy meal.

From Science Daily

McVay initially yelled and tried to make herself bigger to startle away the predator.

From Los Angeles Times

High-resolution 3D scans of the Erythrobatrachus skull indicate it measured about 40 cm long when complete and belonged to a large-bodied predator with a broad head.

From Science Daily

The skull also appears to bear bite marks from a much larger predator -- likely another large ichthyosaur -- which may have caused its death.

From Science Daily

That pattern led some researchers to suggest these fish eating theropods may have been fully aquatic predators that hunted underwater.

From Science Daily