# raptor

/ˈɹæptɝ/ (US) · /ɹˈæptɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/raptor
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. bird of prey

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a bird that hunts and eats other animals, such as an eagle, hawk, or owl.

For teachers: a bird of prey belonging to the orders Accipitriformes, Falconiformes, or Strigiformes, characterized by a hooked beak and sharp talons.

- The eagle is a powerful raptor that can spot its prey from high in the sky.
- Conservationists are monitoring the local raptor population to ensure that the hawks have enough nesting sites along the cliffs.

Usage: Often used in biological or environmental contexts to group eagles, hawks, and owls together.

### 2. dinosaur

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal · Technical

a small or medium-sized dinosaur that ate meat and had sharp claws on its feet.

For teachers: a dromaeosaurid dinosaur, typically characterized by a large, sickle-shaped claw on each second toe and a presumed high level of agility.

- In the movie, the raptors were shown as very smart and fast hunters.
- Recent paleontological evidence suggests that many raptors were actually covered in feathers rather than scales.

Teaching tip: While 'raptor' is technically a family name in paleontology, it became a household word largely due to the popularity of the Jurassic Park film franchise.

## Examples

- The hawk is a powerful raptor that hunts small mice.
- During our hike, we saw a large raptor circling high above the valley looking for its next meal.
- Conservation efforts have successfully increased the population of several raptor species that were once on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.