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prey

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Prey is a person or animal that falls victim to another or an animal that lives off of other animals.

(noun)

An example of prey is a deer being hunted by a man.
An example of prey is an owl catching and killing a rabbit for food.

Prey is defined as to catch, kill, eat or victimize.

(verb)

An example of prey is someone being conned out of large amounts of money.

See prey in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

Archaic plunder; booty
an animal hunted or killed for food by another animal
a person or thing that falls victim to someone or something
the mode of living by preying on other animals: a bird of prey

Origin: ME preye < OFr preie < L praeda < base of prehendere, to seize: see prehensile

intransitive verb

to plunder; rob
to hunt or kill other animals for food
to make profit from a victim as by swindling
to have a wearing or harmful influence; weigh heavily

Related Forms:

preyer noun

See prey in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

An animal hunted or caught for food; quarry.
One that is defenseless, especially in the face of attack; a victim.
The act or practice of preying.

intransitive verb preyed, prey·ing, preys

To hunt, catch, or eat as prey: Owls prey on mice.
To victimize or make a profit at someone else's expense.
To plunder or pillage.
To exert a baneful or injurious effect: Remorse preyed on his mind.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English preie

Origin: , from Old French

Origin: , from Latin praeda, booty, prey; see ghend- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms:

preyˈer noun

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