Dictionary

predatory en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈpɹɛdəˌtɔɹi/ (General-American)
• /ˈpɹɛdət(ə)ɹi/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin praedātōrius, equivalent to predator + -y.

Meanings

1. Of, or relating to a predator.
   • And while there are plenty of benches, there's little shelter from the wind (or predatory seagulls the size of dogs) out on the platforms. 2024 November 13, Paul Bigland, “Much to admire... but pockets of neglect”, in RAIL, number 1022, page 49:
   • Harry Kane was back to his predatory best after struggling in the group stage, following up his goal against Germany by poking home a superb pass from Raheem Sterling after only four minutes. 2021 July 3, Phil McNulty, “Ukraine 0-4 England”, in BBC Sport:
2. Living by preying on other living animals.
   • The mark of his father’s early life was strong upon him and enhanced by months of association with beasts, from whom the imitative faculty of youth had absorbed a countless number of little mannerisms of the predatory creatures of the wild. 1915 December 4 – 1916 January 8, Edgar Rice Burroughs, chapter IX, in The Son of Tarzan, Chicago, Ill.: A[lexander] C[aldwell] McClurg & Co., published March 1917, →OCLC:
3. (figuratively) Exploiting or victimizing others for personal gain.
   • predatory inclusion
   • Francis had promised to take the matter seriously, recruiting victims of predatory priests to a Vatican commission he set up to stamp out abuse, but several resigned soon afterwards, judging that he was not prepared to make the changes needed and hand oversight of the church’s handling of such cases to a completely independent body. 2025 April 21, Peter Stanford, “Pope Francis obituary”, in The Guardian:
   • He remembered sitting quietly during visiting hours, not knowing what words of support to offer, and having to deal with predatory reporters who wanted to interview and photograph "the victim and the devoted lover." 1986, Craig G. Harris, “Cut Off from Among Their People”, in Joseph Beam, editor, In The Life: A Black Gay Anthology, page 66:
   • predatory lending
   • One very important section of the denizens of Darkest England are the criminals and the semi-criminals. They are more or less predatory, and are at present shepherded by the police and punished by the gaoler. 1890, William Booth, chapter 7, in In Darkest England and the Way Out:
   • The purpose of government was the guarding of property-rights, the perpetuation of ancient force and modern fraud. Or was it marriage? Marriage and prostitution were two sides of one shield, the predatory man’s exploitation of the sex-pleasure. 1905 April–October, Upton Sinclair, chapter XXXI, in The Jungle, New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 26 February 1906, →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

nonpredatory · mesopredatory · predatorily · predatoriness · predatory tunicate · predatory journal · antipredatory · predatory incursion · predatory conference · unpredatory · micropredatory · predatorially · predatory pricing · predatory publishing · predatorious · macropredatory

Relateds

predaceous · predacious · prey · predation · predator

Synonyms

predaceous · predacious

Translations (30)

pl drapieżny (relating to predators) · pl drapieżny (living by preying on other living animals) · ja 肉食性の (living by preying on other living animals) · ja 捕食性の (living by preying on other living animals) · pl łupieżczy ((figuratively) exploiting or victimizing others for personal gain) · cy rheibus (relating to predators) · de räuberisch (relating to predators) · ru хи́щнический ((figuratively) exploiting or victimizing others for personal gain) · ru хи́щный ((figuratively) exploiting or victimizing others for personal gain) · fa درندگی (relating to predators) · pl grabieżczy ((figuratively) exploiting or victimizing others for personal gain) · fr prédateur (relating to predators) · nl roofachtig (relating to predators) · pl rabunkowy ((figuratively) exploiting or victimizing others for personal gain) · cy ysglyfaethus (relating to predators) · pt predatório (relating to predators) · ru хи́щнический (relating to predators) · uk хижий ((figuratively) exploiting or victimizing others for personal gain) · uk хижа́цький ((figuratively) exploiting or victimizing others for personal gain) · uk хи́жий (living by preying on other living animals) · ja 搾取的な ((figuratively) exploiting or victimizing others for personal gain) · ka მტაცებლური (relating to predators) · uk хижа́цький (relating to predators) · ru хи́щный (living by preying on other living animals) · el αρπακτικός (relating to predators) · ja 捕食者の (relating to predators) · it predatorio (relating to predators) · es depredador (relating to predators) · bg хищен (relating to predators) · hy գիշատիչ (relating to predators)