noun
prey
pray
noun
1
An animal that is hunted and eaten by another animal.
"The hawk circled above, watching for prey in the field below."
"Rabbits are common prey for foxes."
verb
1
To hunt and kill for food, or to exploit someone vulnerable.
"Owls prey on small rodents at night."
"Scammers often prey on the elderly."
How to Use Prey
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWhat a predator hunts and eats, or (as a verb) to hunt something, including figuratively exploiting people.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "pray" (to say a prayer) — they sound identical but mean completely different things.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
prey on
fall prey to
predator and prey
Word Forms
preyed past tense, preys plural, preys singular
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The hawk circled above, watching for _____ in the field below.
Etymology
From Old French preie, from Latin praeda ("plunder, booty"); related to "predator."