Link Centre Dictionary

prey

UK/pɹeɪ/ US/ˈpreɪ/ common
noun (2) verb (2)

noun

1.

a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence

  • “he fell prey to muggers”
  • “everyone was fair game”
  • “the target of a manhunt”
Synonyms
2.

animal hunted or caught for food

Synonyms

verb

1.

profit from in an exploitatory manner

  • “He feeds on her insecurity”
Synonyms
2.

prey on or hunt for

  • “These mammals predate certain eggs”
Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English praien, prayen, preyen, partly from the noun and partly from Old French praer, preer, earlier preder, from Late Latin praedō, collateral form of Latin praedor, from praeda (“plunder, booty, loot”) + -ō (verbal suffix). Doublet of prede.

Phrases

  • beast of prey
  • bird of prey
  • easy prey
  • fall prey
  • prey drive
  • prey eyes

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.