predator
gb/pɹˈɛdətɚ/ us/pɹˈɛdətɚ/
B1
English
~ 6900
ragadozó, predátor, ellenséges felvásárló, vállalati ragadozó
NOUN
B1
1
ragadozó
B1
Usage pattern:
[predator] hunts [prey]
Lions are powerful predators that hunt in groups.
Az oroszlánok erős ragadozók, és csoportosan vadásznak.
Without natural predators, the deer population quickly grew out of control.
Természetes ragadozók nélkül a szarvasállomány gyorsan elszaporodott, és kezelhetetlenné vált.
Sharks are top predators in many marine ecosystems.
The owl is a silent predator that hunts at night.
When a new predator is introduced to an area, it can disrupt the balance between predator and prey.
Learner examples
A lion is a predator that eats other animals.
Az oroszlán ragadozó: más állatokat eszik.
Many small fish swim together to hide from predators.
Sok apró hal rajban úszik, hogy elrejtőzzön a ragadozók elől.
Wolves are predators, and they hunt in a group.
Birds may watch the ground for predators before they eat.
Some animals have bright colors to warn predators not to eat them.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "predator" with "prey". Remember: the predator is the animal that hunts and eats, and the prey is the animal that is hunted and eaten.
Meaning
animal that hunts other animals
Collocations
natural predator
|apex predator
|top predator
|predator and prey
|large predators
|marine predators
Synonyms
hunter (Often used for a person, but can also describe an animal that searches for and chases prey, without necessarily implying killing for food.)
Antonyms
prey (Refers to the animal that is hunted, caught, and eaten by a predator.)
Themes
science
|nature
|animals
Definition
An animal that catches and eats other animals for food.
An animal that lives by hunting, killing, and eating other animals.
NOUN
B2
2
Usage pattern:
[predator] targets [someone]
The police warned parents about online predators who contact children through social media.
A rendőrség figyelmeztette a szülőket az online ragadozókra, akik a közösségi médián keresztül keresnek meg gyerekeket.
She described her former boss as a predator who used his position to intimidate younger employees.
Korábbi főnökét ragadozónak írta le, aki a pozícióját arra használta, hogy megfélemlítse a fiatalabb alkalmazottakat.
Scammers are financial predators who look for vulnerable people to cheat.
The court called him a dangerous sexual predator and sentenced him to many years in prison.
Advocates say that more needs to be done to protect elderly people from predators who target their savings.
Learner examples
The man was a predator who hurt many young people.
A férfi olyan ragadozó volt, aki sok fiatalt bántott.
Online predators sometimes lie about their age and name.
Az online ragadozók néha hazudnak a korukról és a nevükről.
A sexual predator can cause great harm to victims.
The company promised to protect customers from financial predators.
Parents teach their children how to stay safe from predators on the internet.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes assume "predator" always means an animal. In news stories about crime or abuse, "predator" usually means a person who looks for victims to use or hurt. The word is negative and serious, and should not be used lightly about ordinary conflict or competition.
Meaning
person who cruelly exploits others
Collocations
sexual predator
|online predator
|child predator
|serial predator
|financial predator
|predatory behavior
Synonyms
exploiter (Focuses on taking unfair advantage of others, often in a financial or emotional way, and is slightly more formal and broad than "predator".)
Antonyms
protector (A protector keeps others safe from harm, which is the opposite of a predator, who seeks to harm or use others.)
Themes
crime
|relationships
|internet
|business
|law
Definition
A person who looks for weak people and uses or hurts them, often for sex, money, or power.
A person who cruelly or dishonestly uses, harms, or controls other people for their own benefit, often in sexual, emotional, or financial ways.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
3
Usage pattern:
[predator] makes a bid for [company]
The media described the firm as a corporate predator after its hostile bid for three rival companies.
A média vállalati ragadozóként jellemezte a céget, miután ellenséges ajánlatot tett három rivális vállalat felvásárlására.
Smaller businesses fear that a larger predator will eventually buy them out.
A kisebb vállalkozások attól tartanak, hogy előbb-utóbb egy nagyobb felvásárló bekebelezi őket.
Regulators are considering new rules to limit the power of financial predators in the housing market.
Once seen as a predator, the company is now trying to present itself as a long-term partner for local firms.
Analysts speculated that a foreign predator might make an offer for the struggling retailer.
Learner examples
The newspaper called the big company a predator after it tried to buy a smaller one.
Az újság ragadozónak nevezte a nagyvállalatot, miután az megpróbált felvásárolni egy kisebb céget.
Some banks act like predators when they buy many weak companies.
Egyes bankok ragadozóként viselkednek, amikor sok gyengélkedő céget felvásárolnak.
A foreign predator may try to take over the local business.
The small company was afraid a big predator would buy it.
In this report, the predator is the company that wants to make a hostile bid.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this business meaning is about animals. In business news, "predator" often refers to a company, not an animal or a criminal. Context such as "corporate" or "hostile bid" shows that it is about finance.
Meaning
company that aggressively acquires others
Collocations
corporate predator
|predator company
|predator fund
|predator and prey
|predator bid
|predator emerges
Synonyms
raider (A finance-specific term for an investor or company that buys large amounts of a company’s shares to gain control or force changes; often narrower and more technical than "predator".)
Antonyms
target (In business news, the target is the company that may be bought, which stands in an opposite role to the predator company that tries to buy it.)
Themes
business
|economics
|finance
Definition
A company or fund that tries hard to buy other companies, usually in a strong and sometimes unfriendly way.
A company or investment fund that tries to take control of other companies, often through hostile or aggressive financial strategies.
Grammar
Dictionary form
predator
IPA
GB/pɹˈɛdətɚ/
US/pɹˈɛdətɚ/
Syllables & stress
pred - at - or (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (pred)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: predator
- Plural: predators
Word family
Forms
predators
noun
Core family
predatory
adjective
Related words
prey
noun A2
Advanced or less common
predation
noun
predate
verb
Expressions
apex predator
1/ˈeɪpˌɛks pɹˈɛdətɚ/
fixed phrase
predator at top of food chain
A predator that is at the highest level in the food chain and is not usually eaten by other animals in its area.
Examples
- As an apex predator, the tiger has no natural enemies in its habitat.
- Removing an apex predator like the wolf can change the whole ecosystem.
- Great white sharks are often described as apex predators of the oceans.
corporate predator
7/kˈɔɹpɚɪt pɹˈɛdətɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
company that aggressively buys others
A large company that often tries to buy other companies in a strong and sometimes unfriendly way.
Examples
- The small firm feared that a corporate predator would try to take it over.
- The article asks whether the tech giant has become a corporate predator.
- New rules aim to limit the power of corporate predators in the market.
natural predator
4/nˈæt͡ʃɚəl pɹˈɛdətɚ/
fixed phrase
usual wild hunter of a species
An animal that normally lives in the same area and hunts a certain kind of animal.
Examples
- Without any natural predators, the rabbits multiplied quickly.
- Introducing a species’ natural predator can help control pests.
- In this lake, larger fish are the natural predators of the smaller ones.
online predator
5/ˈɔnlˌaɪn pɹˈɛdətɚ/
fixed phrase
person who hunts victims online
A person who uses the internet to find and contact people, often children, to hurt, cheat, or abuse them.
Examples
- Schools now teach students how to recognize online predators.
- Online predators often pretend to be someone else to win a child’s trust.
- The campaign warns teenagers about sharing personal information with possible online predators.
predator and prey
3/pɹˈɛdətɚ ˈænd pɹˈeɪ/
fixed phrase
relationship between hunter and hunted
The two sides in nature where one animal (the predator) hunts and eats another animal (the prey).
Examples
- The balance between predator and prey is important for a healthy ecosystem.
- Students drew diagrams to show predator and prey in a food chain.
- Changes in climate can affect predator and prey numbers in complex ways.
sexual predator
6/sˈɛkʃuəl pɹˈɛdətɚ/
fixed phrase
person who hunts for sexual victims
A person who looks for people, often weaker or younger, to abuse or hurt them in a sexual way.
Examples
- The law was created to track convicted sexual predators after they leave prison.
- Parents worry about sexual predators who might target children online.
- The documentary followed the survivors of a well-known sexual predator.
top predator
2/tˈɑp pɹˈɛdətɚ/
fixed phrase
highest-level predator in ecosystem
A predator at the highest level in a food web, which is not usually eaten by other animals in that system.
Examples
- As a top predator, the polar bear plays an important role in the Arctic.
- Changes in the number of top predators can affect many other species.
- Orcas are top predators that hunt seals, fish, and even other whales.