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

Think of sharks and the most common images that spring to mind will likely be of dangerous predators hunting prey, accompanied by ominous music.

From BBC

We became apex predators not because of individualism but because of a sense of community.

From Salon

Miller’s death marked the first known instance in California history of a fatal bear attack on a human and has sparked increasingly heated battles around predators in the state.

From Los Angeles Times

Some species were small, squid-eating hunters measuring less than 1 m long, while others were enormous apex predators exceeding 5 m in length.

From Science Daily

These are long, often perilous journeys, where the birds navigate through storms and evade predators, while looking for the ideal spot to spend the night.

From BBC