rapacious Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective satellite living by preying on other animals especially by catching living prey
    raptorial; vulturous; vulturine; ravening; predatory.
    • a predatory bird
    • the rapacious wolf
    • raptorial birds
    • ravening wolves
    • a vulturine taste for offal
  2. adjective satellite excessively greedy and grasping
    voracious; ravening.
    • a rapacious divorcee on the prowl
    • ravening creditors
    • paying taxes to voracious governments
  3. adjective satellite devouring or craving food in great quantities
    voracious; wolfish; esurient; edacious; ravenous; ravening.
    • edacious vultures
    • a rapacious appetite
    • ravenous as wolves
    • voracious sharks

WordNet

Rapa"cious adjective
Etymology
L. rapax, -acis, from rapere to seize and carry off, to snatch away. See Rapid.
Definitions
  1. Given to plunder; disposed or accustomed to seize by violence; seizing by force. " The downfall of the rapacious and licentious Knights Templar." Motley.
  2. Accustomed to seize food; subsisting on prey, or animals seized by violence,; as, a tiger is a rapacious animal; a rapacious bird.
  3. Avaricious; grasping; extortionate; also, greedy; ravenous; voracious; as, rapacious usurers; a rapacious appetite.
    [Thy Lord] redeem thee from Death's rapacious claim Milton
    . Syn. -- Greedy; grasping; ravenous; voracious. -- Ra*pa"cious*ly, adv. -- Ra*pa"cious*ness, n.

Webster 1913