Predator Definition & Meaning

American

British

Scientific

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Synonyms predator American [pred-uh-ter, -tawr] / ˈprɛd ə tər, -ˌtɔr /

noun

1. Zoology. any organism that exists by preying upon other organisms.

   Cats are carnivorous predators.

2. a person or group that plunders, pillages, or robs, as in war.

   The Vikings were barbarian predators.

3. a person, group, or business that exploits, victimizes, or preys on others: corporate predators who go after smaller rivals.

   a sexual predator who targets children;

   corporate predators who go after smaller rivals.

4. an overbearing, greedy or selfish person.

predator British / ˈprɛdətə /

noun

1. any carnivorous animal

2. a predatory person or thing

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 predator Scientific / prĕd′ə-tər /

1. An animal that lives by capturing and eating other animals.

Other Word Forms

• antipredator noun

Etymology

Origin of predator

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin praedātor “plunderer, pillager,” equivalent to praedā(rī) “to plunder, pillage” (derivative of praeda “booty, plunder”) + -tor, agent noun suffix; prey, -tor

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.

The penguins had previously moved from offshore islands to the mainland, taking advantage of the absence of land predators.

From Science Daily

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

"We need to teach them about risks, like algorithmic rips. We need to teach them about predators in the water. It's sharks online, it's paedophiles and other scammers."

From BBC

In one of India's coldest and most remote regions, a group of women have taken on an unlikely role: protecting one of Asia's most elusive predators, the snow leopard.

From BBC

But aerial predators—large birds, like owls—don’t care so much about the scent.

From Literature

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.