prey
PRAY
/preɪ/
An animal that is hunted and killed by another for food.
Refers to the target animal in a predator-prey relationship; as a verb, means to hunt or victimize.
The story behind the word. Passed through Old French 'proie' from Latin 'praeda', meaning loot or plundered game. In medieval times, game captured during hunts was referred to as 'prey', which later broadened to any animal hunted by a predator.
Word relationships
- quarry: Quarry often carries a literary or hunting connotation involving pursuit.
- predator: Predator is the hunter, while prey is the hunted.
Commonly confused with
- pray: 'Pray' is a verb meaning to speak to a god, whereas 'prey' refers to an animal hunted for food.
Word family
- preying (verb (participle)): Hunting or exploiting.
Collocations
- easy prey
- prey species
- fall prey to
- prey population
Idioms & expressions
- fall prey to (become a victim of)
Example sentences
- "Small rodents serve as essential prey for owls and foxes in the forest ecosystem." Ecology
- "Lions usually prey upon sick or old herbivores to minimize the energy expended during a chase." Ethology
Memory hook
Prey has an 'e' like 'Eaten' — prey gets eaten! Prey with 'e' gets Eaten.
When not to use
Do not confuse with homophone 'pray' (to address a deity).
Fun facts
- Many prey animals have eyes on the sides of their heads to provide a 360-degree field of view to spot incoming predators.
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