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vulture

 - 4 dictionary results

vul⋅ture

  [vuhl-cher]
Use vulture in a Sentence
–noun
1. any of several large, primarily carrion-eating Old World birds of prey of the family Accipitridae, often having a naked head and less powerful feet than those of the related hawks and eagles.
2. any of several superficially similar New World birds of the family Cathartidae, as the turkey vulture.
3. a person or thing that preys, esp. greedily or unscrupulously: That vulture would sell out his best friend.
Origin:
1325–75; ME < L vultur

Related forms:
vul⋅ture⋅like, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To vulture
vul·ture   (vŭl'chər)   
n.  

  1. Any of various large birds of prey of the New World family Cathartidae or of the Old World family Accipitridae, characteristically having dark plumage and a featherless head and neck and generally feeding on carrion.

  2. A person of a rapacious, predatory, or profiteering nature.


[Middle English, from Old French voltour, from Latin vultur.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

vulture 
c.1374, from Anglo-Fr. vultur, O.Fr. voultour, from L. vultur, earlier voltur, perhaps related to vellere "to pluck, to tear." Fig. sense is recorded from 1582.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Bible Dictionary

Vulture

(1.) Heb. da'ah (Lev. 11:14). In the parallel passage (Deut. 14:13) the Hebrew word used is _ra'ah_, rendered "glede;" LXX., "gups;" Vulg., "milvus." A species of ravenous bird, distinguished for its rapid flight. "When used without the epithet 'red,' the name is commonly confined to the black kite. The habits of the bird bear out the allusion in Isa. 34:15, for it is, excepting during the winter three months, so numerous everywhere in Palestine as to be almost gregarious." (See EAGLE.) (2.) In Job 28:7 the Heb. 'ayyah is thus rendered. The word denotes a clamorous and a keen-sighted bird of prey. In Lev. 11:14 and Deut. 14:13 it is rendered "kite" (q.v.).

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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