raptor

American  

[rap-ter, -tawr] / ˈræp tər, -tɔr /

noun

raptors plural

1. a raptorial bird.

2. Informal. a velociraptor or other small dinosaur with similar characteristics.

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raptor British  

/ ˈræptə /

noun

1. another name for bird of prey

2. informal a carnivorous bipedal dinosaur of the late Cretaceous period

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raptor Scientific  

/ răp′tər /

1. A bird of prey, such as a hawk, eagle, or owl.

2. Any of various mostly small, slender, carnivorous dinosaurs of the Cretaceous Period. Raptors had hind legs that were adapted for leaping and large, curved claws used for grasping and tearing at prey. Raptors were probably related to birds, and some even had feathers.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• raptors
  plural

Etymology

Origin of raptor

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English raptour “ravener; plunderer; bird of prey,” from Latin raptor “robber, ravager,” equivalent to rap(ere) “to seize by force, plunder” + -tor agent suffix; see rape ¹ -tor

Compare meaning

How does raptor compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• velociraptor vs. raptor

Explanation

A raptor is a bird of prey, a large, strong bird that feeds on smaller animals. Raptors are equipped with sharp talons and beaks for hunting. Raptors are hunters, and they're also big, striking birds — the bald eagle is one example of a raptor. The difference between raptors and other birds that also eat animals (like gulls, for example) is that raptors use not only their beaks, but also their curved talons to catch their prey. Before it came to be used for these birds, raptor meant "abductor," from its Latin meaning, "robber, plunderer, or abductor," from rapere, "to seize."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

raptor raptors

Like other unenlagiids, Kank australis possessed the enlarged claw on its second toe that is often associated with raptor dinosaurs.

From Science Daily ● May 29, 2026

The juvenile then flew off to Jackie and Shadow’s nest in a Jeffrey pine tree overlooking Big Bear Lake, where a camera offered a closer view of the raptor.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2025

I hang a black raptor silhouette in the middle square, but that does not deter him.

From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2025

At least that setting has a modified raptor pausing at a soda cooler to admire its reflection.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2025

She put a check beside “peregrine falcon” in the raptor counting book.

From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

“Unfortunately, raptors get lead poisoning often, and that’s one of the problems we deal with,” she said, noting that their recent patient had not yet been diagnosed with this.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

From the air, a dozen species of raptors scanned the ground for the doomed and the vulnerable.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026

Other threats facing young raptors include poisoning from lead and rodenticides, collisions with wind turbines, loss of habitat, and uncertainty related to a changing climate.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 11, 2025

Bald Eagles, like many other raptors, must navigate a wide range of hazards in a human-dominated world.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 11, 2025

All birds hate raptors and crows, and ravens attack them constantly.

From This Side of Wild by Gary Paulsen