Library / English Dictionary

VULTURE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any of various large diurnal birds of prey having naked heads and weak claws and feeding chiefly on carrion

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("vulture" is a kind of...):

bird of prey; raptor; raptorial bird (any of numerous carnivorous birds that hunt and kill other animals)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "vulture"):

Aegypiidae; family Aegypiidae (in some classifications considered the family comprising the Old World vultures which are more often included in the family Accipitridae)

Old World vulture (any of several large vultures of Africa and Eurasia)

cathartid; New World vulture (large birds of prey superficially similar to Old World vultures)

Derivation:

vulturous (living by preying on other animals especially by catching living prey)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Someone who attacks in search of booty

Synonyms:

marauder; piranha; predator; vulture

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("vulture" is a kind of...):

aggressor; assailant; assaulter; attacker (someone who attacks)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "vulture"):

moss-trooper (a marauder and plunderer (originally operating in the bogs between England and Scotland))

Credits