rapacious
pronunciation
How to pronounce rapacious in British English:
UK [rəˈpeɪʃəs]
How to pronounce rapacious in American English:
US [rəˈpeɪʃəs]
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- Adjective:
- living by preying on other animals especially by catching living prey
- excessively greedy and grasping
- devouring or craving food in great quantities
Word Origin
- rapacious
- rapacious: see rapture
- rapacious (adj.)
- 1650s, from Latin rapaci-, stem of rapax "grasping," itself from stem of rapere "to seize" (see rapacity) + -ous. Related: Rapaciously; rapaciousness.
Example
- 1. Locals often have bitter memories of rapacious western colonialists and arab slave traders .
- 2. The official narrative is that their country was once ruthlessly exploited by rapacious foreigners .
- 3. And he still seems bent on repaying election favours to a rapacious old guard .
- 4. Its rapacious demand for commodities has been one of the main causes of the rise in commodity prices .
- 5. But legislation to protect consumers from rapacious bankers has had unintended consequences , too .