scavenger
[ skav-in-jer ]
/ ˈskæv ɪn dʒər /
noun
an animal or other organism that feeds on dead organic matter.
a person who searches through and collects items from discarded material.
a street cleaner.
Chemistry. a chemical that consumes or renders inactive the impurities in a mixture.
Nearby words
scauper, scaur, scavenge, scavenge pump, scavenge stroke, scavenger, scavenger beetle, scavenger hunt, scavenger's daughter, scd, sce
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for scavenger
British Dictionary definitions for scavenger
scavenger
/ (ˈskævɪndʒə) /
noun
a person who collects things discarded by others
any animal that feeds on decaying organic matter, esp on refuse
a substance added to a chemical reaction or mixture to counteract the effect of impurities
a person employed to clean the streets
Derived Forms
scavengery, nounWord Origin for scavenger
C16: from Anglo-Norman scawager, from Old Norman French escauwage examination, from escauwer to scrutinize, of Germanic origin; related to Flemish scauwen
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Science definitions for scavenger
scavenger
[ skăv′ən-jər ]
An animal that feeds on dead organisms, especially a carnivorous animal that eats dead animals rather than or in addition to hunting live prey. Vultures, hyenas, and wolves are scavengers.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.