vulture

noun

vul·​ture ˈvəl-chər 

1

: any of various large birds (families Accipitridae and Cathartidae) that are related to the hawks, eagles, and falcons but have weaker claws and the head usually naked and that subsist chiefly or entirely on carrion

2

: a rapacious or predatory person

vulturish

ˈvəl-chə-rish 

adjective

Synonyms of vulture

• predator
• vampire

Examples of vulture in a Sentence

As soon as they learned of his arrest, the media vultures started circling.

noted that the paparazzi are vultures who could not exist without the connivance of the tabloid-buying public

Recent Examples on the Web

In India, over 2,000 years ago, Lyra was seen as a heavenly vulture, as contrary as that sounds. —Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 23 Nov. 2025

Black vultures circled overhead. —Kendall Hunter, Travel + Leisure, 17 Nov. 2025

There’s a vulture in the home, flapping its wings. —Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025

That could be way too reactionary and dramatic, but the vultures and sharks in this league are headed there with this situation. —Zach Harper, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English vultur, from Anglo-French, from Latin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing vulture

• bearded vulture
• turkey vulture
• vulture capitalism

Rhymes for vulture

• culture
• kultur
• agriculture
• apiculture
• aquaculture
• counterculture
• floriculture
• horticulture
• mariculture
• monoculture
• sericulture
• silviculture

Kids Definition

vulture

noun

vul·​ture ˈvəl-chər 

1

: any of various large birds that feed mostly on animals found dead and that are related to the hawks and eagles but have weaker claws and the head usually naked

2

: a greedy or predatory person