predator
/ˈpred.ə.tə/ IELTSAcademic
noun
- 1.
An animal that hunts, kills, and eats other animals. Predators are part of a food chain or ecosystem.
- Lions are predators.
- Owls hunt small animals at night.
- Sharks are top predators.
- 2.
A person who tries to use, harm, or exploit weaker people. This use is often negative.
- The police arrested the online predator.
- She warned her son about predators.
- Scammers can be emotional predators.
Adinary Nuance
Predator is stronger and more specific than hunter. A hunter may catch animals for food or sport, but a predator takes prey as part of survival. It is also more negative than attacker, because it often suggests planned exploitation of the weak.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- kẻ săn mồi
- Spanish
- depredador
- Chinese
- 捕食者
- Japanese
- 捕食者
- Korean
- 포식자
Etymology
Predator comes from Latin praedator, meaning “plunderer” or “one who seizes.” It entered English in the 1600s, first for animals and later for people who exploit others.
Common phrases
apex predatorsexual predatoronline predatorpredator and prey
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is predator used for animals only?
- No. It is also used for people who exploit or harm weaker people.
- What is the difference between predator and hunter?
- A hunter may choose to hunt. A predator naturally hunts to survive.
- Is predator a formal word?
- It is common in science and news writing, and also in serious everyday speech.