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Tech & Science dictionary results for apex predator.

apex predator

American  

[ey-peks pred-uh-ter, -tawr] / ˈeɪ pɛks ˈprɛd ə tər, -ˌtɔr /

noun

1. a carnivore that preys on other animals but has no natural predators of its own; the predator at the top of a particular food chain.

   Sharks fill an important ecological niche as apex predators, keeping the population of other species from exploding.

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Etymology

Origin of apex predator

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

Following the re-introduction of the sea eagle, the only other UK apex predator, Scottish farmers reported having to abandon their hill farms after the birds decimated their lamb populations.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

A wolf arrived in Los Angeles County on Saturday morning, marking the first time the apex predator has been documented in the area in at least a century, according to state wildlife officials.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 7, 2026

They also found many arthropods -- a family that includes modern-day crabs and insects -- including spiny, stalk-eyed creatures called radiodonts which were the apex predator of the time.

From Barron's • Jan. 28, 2026

Their invention was like dropping a new apex predator into the investment habitat—an unfair fight.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

Scientists believe that Khankhuuluu, or one of its relatives, crossed a land bridge into North America, where it evolved into the formidable apex predator Tyrannosaurs.

From Science Daily • Oct. 24, 2025