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prey
[ prey ]
/ preɪ /
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noun
verb (used without object)
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Idioms about prey
fall prey (to), to be victimized, harmed, or killed: chickens that fell prey to a hawk;fall prey to internet scams.
Origin of prey
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English prei(e), preye, “booty, plunder, prey,” from Old French proie, praie, preie, from Latin praeda; akin to prehendere to grasp, seize; see prehension
OTHER WORDS FROM prey
preyer, nounun·prey·ing, adjectiveWords nearby prey
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use prey in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for prey
prey
/ (preɪ) /
noun
verb (intr; often foll by on or upon)
Derived forms of prey
preyer, nounWord Origin for prey
C13: from Old French preie, from Latin praeda booty; see predatory
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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