vulture

[ vuhl-cher ]
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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.

  1. a person or thing that preys, especially greedily or unscrupulously: That vulture would sell out his best friend.

Origin of vulture

1
1325–75; Middle English <Latin vultur

Other words from vulture

  • vul·ture·like, adjective

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How to use vulture in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for vulture

vulture

/ (ˈvʌltʃə) /


noun
  1. any of various very large diurnal birds of prey of the genera Neophron, Gyps, Gypaetus, etc, of Africa, Asia, and warm parts of Europe, typically having broad wings and soaring flight and feeding on carrion: family Accipitridae (hawks): See also griffon 1 (def. 2), lammergeier

  2. any similar bird of the family Cathartidae of North, Central, and South America: See also condor, turkey buzzard

  1. a person or thing that preys greedily and ruthlessly on others, esp the helpless

Origin of vulture

1
C14: from Old French voltour, from Latin vultur; perhaps related to Latin vellere to pluck, tear

Derived forms of vulture

  • vulture-like, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012