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
While Waldrop favored raptors — more than half of the collection included hawks, eagles, vultures, falcons, and owls — investigators also noted dozens of duck mounts in the collection.
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Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 10 Apr. 2025
The nonprofit group hosts a live eagle camera, where the eagles’ many dedicated fans can keep up with the raptor family.
—Brooke Baitinger, Sacbee.com, 2 Apr. 2025
The Avian Reconditioning Center (ARC) works with raptors that have been inactive for an extended period of time while recovering from illness or injury.
—Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2025
Those birds, following Lake Michigan’s shoreline, include raptors, waterfowl, gulls, terns and shorebirds.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for raptor
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Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 10 Apr. 2025
The nonprofit group hosts a live eagle camera, where the eagles’ many dedicated fans can keep up with the raptor family.
—Brooke Baitinger, Sacbee.com, 2 Apr. 2025
The Avian Reconditioning Center (ARC) works with raptors that have been inactive for an extended period of time while recovering from illness or injury.
—Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2025
Those birds, following Lake Michigan’s shoreline, include raptors, waterfowl, gulls, terns and shorebirds.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for raptor
Cite this Entry
“Raptor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/raptor. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
raptor
noun
rap·tor
ˈrap-tər 
Etymology
Latin raptor "plunderer," from rapere "to seize"
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