vulture
B2Formal, Figurative, Common in news/journalism.
Definition
Meaning
A large bird of prey that feeds primarily on the carcasses of dead animals.
A person or entity that preys on or exploits others, especially when they are in a vulnerable or weakened state.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun. The figurative sense is common in discourse related to finance, criticism, and exploitative behavior. The literal sense is often associated with nature documentaries and wildlife texts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning or usage. Both use the literal and figurative senses identically.
Connotations
Equally negative in figurative use. In the literal sense, neutral, but often culturally associated with death and decay.
Frequency
Comparably common in both varieties, with figurative use slightly more frequent in American business/finance journalism.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
N of N (vulture of the financial world)N waiting/preying (like vultures waiting for the company to fail)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Like vultures circling”
- “Vulture culture (media/paparazzi)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Criticism of aggressive investors or companies that buy distressed assets (e.g., 'vulture funds').
Academic
In biology/zoology for the animal; in economics/sociology for predatory practices.
Everyday
Used figuratively to describe someone taking advantage of another's misfortune.
Technical
Ornithology: a specific family (Accipitridae or Cathartidae) of carrion-eating birds.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The journalists were accused of vulturing around the celebrity's private tragedy.
American English
- Investors vultured the remains of the bankrupt company.
adjective
British English
- The article criticised the vulture-like behaviour of some hedge funds.
American English
- They employed vulture tactics to buy up the foreclosed homes.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We saw a vulture at the zoo.
- The vulture has very big wings.
- A vulture was circling high in the sky, looking for food.
- Some people called the aggressive lawyers vultures.
- Vulture funds often buy debt from struggling countries at very low prices.
- The media descended on the scandal like a pack of vultures.
- Critics have lambasted the vulture capitalism model for prioritising short-term profit over societal wellbeing.
- The polemicist was denounced as a cultural vulture, feasting on the controversies of others.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'VULTURE CULTURE' – a culture that preys on the weak, just like the bird.
Conceptual Metaphor
PEOPLE WHO EXPLOIT WEAKNESS ARE VULTURES.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'gryf/vultur' (гриф) which also means 'vulture' but can refer to a 'seal/stamp' or a 'musical term (clef)'. The figurative sense translates directly to 'стервятник'.
- Avoid using the word for a generic 'bird of prey' (хищная птица) – it's specific.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'He is a vulture for good deals.' (Better: 'He is a vulture, preying on good deals from desperate sellers.')
- Confusing 'vulture' with 'vulgar' due to similar spelling.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'vulture' used most positively?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
When referring to the bird in a biological context, it is neutral. In all figurative uses describing human behavior, it is strongly negative.
A hedge fund or other investor that buys distressed assets (like debt) at a deep discount, aiming to profit from them aggressively, often through litigation.
Yes, though it's informal/figurative. It means to act like a vulture, e.g., 'They vultured the remaining food.'
In American English, 'buzzard' often refers to vultures. In British English, a buzzard is a different type of bird of prey (Buteo) that hunts live prey, while vultures are primarily scavengers.