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

The new study suggests that Purussaurus could have been influential enough as a predator to affect the size of herbivore populations across the ecosystem.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 19, 2026

"We're talking about a true apex predator, a very large wild animal," says Parton.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

One was Hesperosuchus agilis, a fast land predator with a long snout, powerful hind legs, and smaller, more slender front limbs.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 30, 2026

He was an active participant in defending Andrew Tate, using his influence to validate an accused predator because it fit the edgy, anti-establishment aesthetic of the modern manosphere media.

From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026

No animal moved about, neither grass-eater nor predator, and the air was so still that the dark limbs and leaves of the live oaks stood unmoving against the Milky Way.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

That abundance of large prey helped support predators that were equally impressive in scale.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 19, 2026

"Bluefin tuna are also top predators who can only be in these waters if the ecosystems underneath them are healthy," she added.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

Meta argues it implemented measures to protect young users from predators, such as restricting direct messages from adults.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

In other situations, I hoped that my studded accessories would communicate to predators that I do not identify as prey.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

The monkeys prefer to sleep in a dead tree so that they can see in all directions, keeping watch for humans and other evil predators.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston