vulture

English

Griffon vulture

Etymology

Borrowed into Middle English from Anglo-Norman vultur, from Old French voutoir, voutre, from Latin vultur, voltur.

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈvʌltʃə/
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˈvʌlt͡ʃɚ/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -ʌltʃə, -ʌltʃə(ɹ)

Noun

vulture (plural vultures)

  1. Any of several carrion-eating birds of the families Accipitridae and Cathartidae.
  2. (figurative, colloquial) A person who profits from the suffering of others.
    Within ten minutes of the accident, the vultures appeared and were organizing lawsuits.
    Synonyms: ambulance chaser, vampire

Derived terms

Translations

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Verb

vulture (third-person singular simple present vultures, present participle vulturing, simple past and past participle vultured)

  1. (figurative, colloquial) To circle around one's target as if one were a vulture.
    Rudy vultured when asking the girl out.

Adjective

vulture

  1. (obsolete) ravenous; rapacious

Further reading

Latin

Noun

vulture

  1. ablative singular of vultur
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