raptor
noun
rap·tor
| \ ˈrap-tər
, -ˌtȯr\
, -ˌtȯr\
Definition of raptor
1
: a carnivorous medium- to large-sized bird (such as a hawk, eagle, owl, or vulture) that has a hooked beak and large sharp talons and that feeds wholly or chiefly on meat taken by hunting or on carrion : bird of prey
2
[ New Latin -raptor (as in velociraptor) ]
: a usually small-to-medium-sized predatory dinosaur (such as a velociraptor or deinonychus)
Examples of raptor in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Passengers had to jump aside as riot police from the Special Tactical Squad, locally known as raptors, hurtled in. — Los Angeles Times, "‘I thought I was about to die’: Eyewitnesses describe brutal beatings by Hong Kong police," 2 Sep. 2019 The Carpenter Nature Center has live raptors and assorted smaller critters available for viewing and handling as a way to educate people about the importance of this habitat, King says. — Kathy Berdan, Twin Cities, "No Fair! 8 ideas if you’d rather not go to the Great Minnesota Get-Together," 22 Aug. 2019 Junipers provide perches for raptors that attack and kill sage grouse. — Washington Post, "Massive juniper tree-cutting project aims to aid sage grouse," 21 Aug. 2019 Almost every young enthusiast seems to have a favorite, and that includes 7-year-old Lilly Tosca of Palm Bay, who obsesses over raptors, the flying lizards that roamed the Earth more than 65 million years ago. — Lois K. Solomon, sun-sentinel.com, "They’re not extinct in West Palm Beach: Dinosaur theme park draws thousands | PHOTOS," 17 Aug. 2019 But these days, the gulls must also keep an eye out for the sharp-clawed raptors roaming the skies. — Nick Corasaniti, New York Times, "Flying Assassins Are Called In to Combat Aggressive Gulls," 15 Aug. 2019 Birds, especially raptors, may be seen soaring and the local bald eagles are frequently seen near the staging area on Rangeland Road. — Ramona Sentinel, "Old Survey Road 97 Trail opens to the public for three months," 15 Aug. 2019 Lead poisoning is a serious problem for raptors that scavenge on dead animals, such as golden and bald eagles, as well as vultures. — Douglas Main, National Geographic, "This lead-poisoned eagle miraculously recovered. Most aren’t so lucky," 26 June 2019 Pratt reunited with Blue, his character’s lovable raptor, onstage during the event. — Hanna Flanagan, PEOPLE.com, "Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard Help Unveil the New Universal Studios Jurassic World Ride," 24 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'raptor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for raptor
raptor
noun
English Language Learners Definition of raptor
technical
: a bird (such as an eagle or hawk) that kills and eats other animals for food
: a small or medium-sized dinosaur that ate other animals
See the full definition for raptor in the English Language Learners Dictionary
raptor
noun
rap·tor
| \ ˈrap-tər
\
\