noun
raptor
RAP-tuh
noun
1
A bird that hunts other animals, such as an eagle or hawk.
"The raptor circled high above the field, watching for mice."
2
In casual and pop-culture usage, one of the small, clawed, meat-eating dinosaurs (dromaeosaurs) made famous by films like Jurassic Park.
"The kids ran around the museum pretending to be raptors."
How to Use Raptor
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a bird of prey or (informally) a small predatory dinosaur.
Common pairings
bird of prey / raptor
raptor claws
Word Forms
raptors plural, raptors plural
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The _____ circled high above the field, watching for mice.
Etymology
From Latin raptor, "plunderer" or "one who seizes" — the same root as "rapture" and "rapacious."