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.

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predator British  

/ ˈprɛdətə /

noun

1. any carnivorous animal

2. a predatory person or thing

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predator Scientific  

/ prĕd′ə-tər /

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

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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

Like prey worn down by a persistent predator, participants don’t collapse all at once; they give up gradually until the fight leaves the market altogether.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

"An active supermassive black hole is like a hungry predator dominating the ecosystem," he said.

From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026

The non-native predator was introduced to the island in the 1980s and has wreaked havoc on the internationally-significant breeding seabird colony.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

The search began in 2019 in the Sahara Desert, where French geologist Hugues Faure had said he found a tooth belonging to the giant predator Carcharodontosaurus in the 1950s.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

Next, her head would bob a bit and her eyes would take on the intensity of a wild predator.

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter