rapacious

WOTD – 14 August 2008    

English

Etymology

Perhaps from rapacity + -ous, in any case ultimately from Latin rapax (“grasping, greedy”).

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA: /rəˈpeɪ.ʃəs/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪʃəs

Adjective

rapacious (comparative more rapacious, superlative most rapacious)

1. Voracious; avaricious.
   • 1787, Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 6: Concerning Dangers from Dissensions Between the States:

     To presume a want of motives for such contests [of power between states] as an argument against their existence, would be to forget that men are ambitious, vindictive, and rapacious.

2. Given to taking by force or plundering.
   • 1910, Niccolò Machiavelli (translated by Ninian Hill Thomson), The Prince, Chapter XIX:

     A Prince [...] sooner becomes hated by being rapacious and by interfering with the property and with the women of his subjects, than in any other way.

3. (of an animal, usually a bird) Subsisting off live prey.
   • 1827, James Fenimore Cooper, The Prairie, Chapter XIII:

     Even the rapacious birds appeared to comprehend the nature of the ceremony, for [...] they once more began to make their airy circuits above the place [...]

Usage notes

• The use of this term for animals other than birds is dated.

Synonyms

• See also Wikisaurus:greedy

Related terms

• rapaciously
• rapaciousness
• rapacity

Translations

avaricious

• Finnish: ahne (fi), saaliinhimoinen (fi)
• French: rapace (fr)
• Greek: άπληστος (el) (áplistos)

• Portuguese: voraz (pt) m and f
• Serbo-Croatian: gramziv (sh), pohlepan (sh), lakom (sh)
• Spanish: codicioso (es) m

given to take by force

• Greek: αρπακτικός (el) (arpaktikós)

• Spanish: rapaz (es) m and f

which subsists off live prey

• Greek: αρπακτικός (el) (arpaktikós)
• Italian: rapace (it)

• Serbo-Croatian: grabežljiv (sh)
• Spanish: rapaz (es) m and f