raptor

noun

rap·​tor ˈrap-tər How to pronounce raptor (audio) -ˌtȯr How to pronounce raptor (audio)
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
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When a small raptor center in Southern California began caring for the most famous bald eagle on Earth, the keyboard veterinarians started piping up. — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026 The law calls for the replacement of some sources of rodenticide with rat contraceptives to reduce harm to urban raptors in the city, along with broader plans for urban wildlife management. — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026 As beloved Big Bear bald eagle Jackie continues to recover from a mystery illness, the Southern California raptor rehabilitation center overseeing her recovery is now accepting notes from the public. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026 Certain species like raptors, which fly at turbine height, and migratory birds, which travel along the same, predictable routes, are particularly vulnerable to this. — Indrabati Lahiri, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for raptor

Word History

Etymology

(sense 1) after New Latin Raptores, former order name, going back to Latin, plural of raptor "plunderer, robber, a beast or bird of prey," from rapere "to seize and carry off, take away by force" + -tor, agent suffix; (sense 2) borrowed from New Latin -raptor (as in velociraptor) — more at rapid entry 1

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of raptor was in 1873

Rhymes for raptor

See All Rhymes for raptor

Browse Nearby Words

Rapti
raptor
Raptores
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Cite this Entry

“Raptor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/raptor. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

Etymology

Latin raptor "plunderer," from rapere "to seize"

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