raptor
Americannoun
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a raptorial bird.
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Informal. a velociraptor or other small dinosaur with similar characteristics.
noun
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another name for bird of prey
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informal a carnivorous bipedal dinosaur of the late Cretaceous period
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A bird of prey, such as a hawk, eagle, or owl.
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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.
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:
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."
Vocabulary lists containing raptor
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Words of a Feather: Unflappable Avian Vocabulary
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Between Shades of Gray
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"It started from quite a challenging start point. There has been a lack of trust between the shooting community, for example, and conservationists and raptor workers."
From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026
Subbotin said the utility company spaces lines at least 5 feet apart — a precaution it and other utility companies take to minimize raptor deaths.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 26, 2025
I hang a black raptor silhouette in the middle square, but that does not deter him.
From Salon • Jul. 19, 2025
Some fossils are thought to represent previously undescribed species, including two additional pterosaur skulls and two small raptor dinosaurs.
From Science Magazine • May 15, 2024
Up ahead, Riker’s raptor had raised itself to full height.
From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
