Dictionary
predatory
adjective pred·a·to·ry \ˈpre-də-ˌtȯr-ē\
: living by killing and eating other animals
: wrongly harming or using others for pleasure or profit
Full Definition of PREDATORY
1
a : of, relating to, or practicing plunder, pillage, or rapine b : inclined or intended to injure or exploit others for personal gain or profit <predatory pricing practices>
2
: living by predation : predaceous; also : adapted to predation
See predatory defined for English-language learners
See predatory defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
First Known Use of PREDATORY
1589
Related to PREDATORY
- Synonyms
- predaceous (or predacious), rapacious, raptorial
Rhymes with PREDATORY
a priori, allegory, amatory, auditory, bedtime story, cacciatore, castratory, category, con amore, cover story, crematory, damnatory, decretory, dilatory, dormitory, excretory, expletory, feudatory, fumitory, Göteborg, gustatory, gyratory, horror story, hortatory, hunky-dory, inventory, laudatory, lavatory, mandatory, migratory, minatory, monitory, Montessori, morning glory, nugatory, offertory, oratory, overstory, piscatory, precatory, prefatory, probatory, promissory, promontory, purgatory, repertory, Ruwenzori, signatory, statutory, sudatory, territory, transitory, understory, vibratory, vomitory, yakitori
PREDATORY Defined for Kids
predatory
adjective pred·a·to·ry \ˈpre-də-ˌtȯr-ē\
Definition of PREDATORY for Kids
: living by killing and eating other animals <An owl is a predatory bird.>
Learn More About PREDATORY
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: predePrevious Word in the Dictionary: predatorinessAll Words Near: predatory
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up predatory? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).