prey

American  

[prey] / preɪ /

noun

1. an animal hunted or seized for food, especially by a carnivorous animal.

2. a person or thing that is the victim of an enemy, a swindler, a disease, etc.

   a con man looking for his next prey.

   Synonyms:

   mark, gull, dupe

3. the action or habit of preying.

   a beast of prey.

4. Archaic. booty or plunder.

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verb (used without object)

1. to seize and devour prey, as an animal does (usually followed by on orupon ).

   Foxes prey on rabbits.

2. to make raids or attacks for booty or plunder.

   The Vikings preyed on coastal settlements.

3. to exert a harmful or destructive influence.

   His worries preyed upon his mind.

4. to victimize another or others (usually followed by on orupon ).

   loan sharks that prey upon poor people.

idioms

1. fall prey (to), to be victimized, harmed, or killed: fall prey to internet scams.

   chickens that fell prey to a hawk;

   fall prey to internet scams.

prey British  

/ preɪ /

noun

1. an animal hunted or captured by another for food

2. a person or thing that becomes the victim of a hostile person, influence, etc

3. an animal that preys on others for food

4. a bird that preys on others for food

5. an archaic word for booty 1

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verb

1. to hunt or seize food by killing other animals

2. to make a victim (of others), as by profiting at their expense

3. to exert a depressing or obsessive effect (on the mind, spirits, etc); weigh heavily (upon)

Other Word Forms

• preyer noun
• unpreying adjective

Etymology

Origin of prey

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English prei(e), preye, “booty, plunder, prey,” from Old French proie, praie, preie, from Latin praeda; akin to prehendere to grasp, seize; see prehension

Explanation

Prey is an animal hunted for food. If you're a delicious-looking deer during hunting season, watch your back! You're the prey for all those guys in orange jackets carrying rifles. Prey can also mean the human subject of an attack, or ridicule, by another person. Remember those bullies in school? The younger kids whom they shoved into lockers were their prey. Prey can also be used as a verb, meaning to hunt or go after. I bet most people would agree it's better to prey on something else than to be the preyed upon!

Example Sentences

It’s an enclave teeming with prey and situated in the former hunting grounds of the Maharajas of Jaipur.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

"People rejected the self-satisfaction and arrogance of old parties and did not fall prey to lies and manipulation. I thank them for their trust," Radev said, in his victory speech.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

"Many mesothermic fishes are already heavily impacted by overfishing of themselves and also their prey species, so their elevated energy needs make them especially vulnerable when their food becomes scarce."

From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2026

That might mean a surprising win for traditional software, despite the industry being cast as falling prey to AI this year.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026

To track prey, you must first learn to know it as you would a brother.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver