raptor

views updated May 29 2018

rap·tor / ˈraptər/ • n. a bird of prey, e.g., an eagle, hawk, falcon, or owl. ∎ inf. a dromaeosaurid dinosaur, esp. velociraptor or utahraptor.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

raptor

views updated Jun 27 2018

raptor a dromaeosaurid dinosaur, especially velociraptor or utahraptor. The word raptor (from Latin, meaning ‘bird of prey’) is recorded in English from the 19th century, but in this sense comes directly from a shortened form of velociraptor, used originally by palaeontologists and popularized by Michael Crichton' thriller Jurassic Park and the Spielberg film (1993) based on it.

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable ELIZABETH KNOWLES

raptor

views updated May 18 2018

raptor From the Latin rapere, ‘to ravish’, a bird of prey of the order Falconidae (formerly known as Raptores).

A Dictionary of Zoology MICHAEL ALLABY

raptor

views updated Jun 11 2018

raptor From the Latin rapere, meaning ‘to ravish’, a bird of prey of the order Falconidae (formerly known as Raptores).

A Dictionary of Ecology MICHAEL ALLABY

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Raptor

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