vulturine

Also vul·tur·ous

[vuhl-chuh-rahyn, -cher-in]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a vulture.

2. resembling a vulture, especially in rapacious or predatory qualities.

   a vulturine critic.

vulturine

/ ˈvʌltʃəˌraɪn /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling a vulture

2. Also: vulturous. rapacious, predatory, or greedy

Other Word Forms

• unvulturine adjective
• unvulturous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of vulturine¹

From the Latin word vulturīnus, dating back to 1640–50. See vulture, -ine ¹

Example Sentences

She notes that baboon groups may also come together to sleep, like the vulturine guineafowl.

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Mandelup follows Tester as he is scouted by a vulturine manager, who we only meet once, and, believe me, once is enough.

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His eyes were the worst – glittery and vulturine.

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The general contour and flight was far more vulturine and less falcon-like than we had expected.

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Still, that chuckling and cavorting American fowl, that two-headed and vulturine Russo-Polish Eagle, do not quite fit into the Mongolian Arcadia of the Willow-pattern plate; now do they?

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Related Words

• greedy 
• marauding 
• rapacious 
• voracious