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predatory

Syllabification: (pred·a·to·ry)
Pronunciation: /ˈpredəˌtôrē/
Translate predatory | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of predatory

adjective

  • 1relating to or denoting an animal or animals preying naturally on others:predatory birds
  • 2seeking to exploit or oppress others:a life destroyed by predatory biographers and yellow journalists

Derivatives

predatorily

adverb

predatoriness

noun

Origin:

late 16th century (in the sense 'relating to plundering'): from Latin praedatorius, from praedator 'plunderer' (see predator)

predatory in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of predatory in the British & World English dictionary
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