prey

Pronunciation: /pɹeɪ/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B1 — Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence
  2. noun animal hunted or caught for food
  3. verb profit from in an exploitatory manner

Etymology

From Middle English preye, prei, preyȝe, borrowed from Anglo-Norman and Old French preie, one of the variants of proie, from Latin praeda. Compare predator. Doublet of prede.

In classic literature

Synonyms

quarry, target, fair game

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
victim

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