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apex predator

American  
[ey-peks pred-uh-ter, -tawr] / ˈeɪ pɛks ˈprɛd ə tər, -ˌtɔr /

noun

  1. a carnivore that preys on other animals but has no natural predators of its own; the predator at the top of a particular food chain.

    Sharks fill an important ecological niche as apex predators, keeping the population of other species from exploding.

Etymology

Origin of apex predator

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It wasn’t until 2011 that the apex predators returned, when a wolf ventured into the state from Oregon.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.