Prey: meaning, definitions and examples

๐ŸฆŒ
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prey

 

[ preษช ]

Noun / Verb
Context #1 | Noun

animal

An animal that is hunted and killed by another for food. Prey can refer to any animal that is hunted and eaten by another animal, but it is most commonly used to describe the animals that carnivorous predators hunt and eat.

Synonyms

game, quarry, victim

Examples of usage

  • The lion stalked its prey through the tall grass.
  • The hawk swooped down to catch its prey.
  • The cheetah chased the gazelle, its prey, across the savanna.
Context #2 | Verb

hunt

To hunt and kill for food. When used as a verb, prey means to hunt and kill other animals for food. It can also be used in a more figurative sense to describe someone who is being taken advantage of or exploited by another.

Synonyms

capture, hunt, stalk

Examples of usage

  • The wolf preys on small animals in the forest.
  • The eagle preys on fish in the river.
  • He preyed on her kindness and generosity.

Translations

Translations of the word "prey" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น presa

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคถเคฟเค•เคพเคฐ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Beute

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ mangsa

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะทะดะพะฑะธั‡

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ zdobycz

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ็ฒ็‰ฉ (emono)

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท proie

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ presa

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท av

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๋จน์ด (meok-i)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ูุฑูŠุณุฉ (farisa)

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ koล™ist

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ korisลฅ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ็ŒŽ็‰ฉ (liรจwรน)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ plen

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ brรกรฐ

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะพะปะถะฐัั‹

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒœแƒแƒ“แƒแƒ•แƒšแƒ˜ (nadavli)

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ yฤฑrtฤฑcฤฑ

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ presa

Etymology

The word 'prey' originated from the Old French word 'preier' which means 'to pray' or 'to entreat'. Over time, the meaning shifted to refer to animals that are hunted and killed by other animals. The concept of prey has been integral to the survival and balance of ecosystems throughout history, as predators rely on hunting and consuming other animals for sustenance.

Word Frequency Rank

At #5,825 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.