beast of prey: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2formal, literary, archaic
Quick answer
What does “beast of prey” mean?
A carnivorous animal that hunts and kills other animals for food.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A carnivorous animal that hunts and kills other animals for food.
A person or entity that is ruthlessly predatory, aggressive, or exploitative in their actions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is identical in form but very rare in modern language in both varieties. Might appear slightly more often in British historical or literary contexts.
Connotations
Literary, old-fashioned, evocative of older natural history texts or adventure narratives. Can sound dramatic or archaic.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in contemporary use, encountered primarily in classic literature, historical documentaries, or poetic language.
Grammar
How to Use “beast of prey” in a Sentence
The [lion/tiger] is a formidable beast of prey.He watched her with the silent intensity of a beast of prey.In the commercial world, he was a true beast of prey.Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Metaphorically for a ruthless, aggressive competitor or corporate raider. 'The firm was taken over by a financial beast of prey.'
Academic
Rare in modern texts. Used in historical, zoological, or literary studies discussing 19th-century natural history or figurative language.
Everyday
Virtually never used. 'Predator' is the standard term.
Technical
Obsolete in zoology. Replaced by specific taxonomic classifications (e.g., carnivoran, apex predator) or the generic 'predator'.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “beast of prey”
- Using it in modern, casual conversation sounds strange.
- Confusing it with 'bird of prey'.
- Misspelling as 'beast of pray'.
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'to beast of prey').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is considered archaic and literary. The word 'predator' is the standard modern term for an animal that hunts others.
'Beast of prey' historically referred to land-based carnivorous mammals (e.g., lions, wolves). 'Bird of prey' refers specifically to carnivorous birds that hunt (e.g., eagles, hawks), and this term is still in common use.
Yes, but only in a figurative, literary, or highly critical sense to imply someone is ruthlessly predatory, aggressive, and exploitative.
No, the plural is 'beasts of prey'. The word 'prey' here is an uncountable noun in a fixed compound and does not take a plural 's'.
A carnivorous animal that hunts and kills other animals for food.
Beast of prey is usually formal, literary, archaic in register.
Beast of prey: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbiːst əv ˈpreɪ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbist əv ˈpreɪ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a BEAST in a PREY-rie (prairie), hunting. It's a BEAST that lives for the PREY.
Conceptual Metaphor
AGGRESSION IS PREDATION; A RUTHLESS PERSON IS A PREDATORY ANIMAL.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the most accurate modern equivalent for 'beast of prey' in a biological context?