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Dictionary:

scavenger

  (skăv'ən-jər) pronunciation
n.
  1. One that scavenges, as a person who searches through refuse for food.
  2. An animal, such as a bird or insect, that feeds on dead or decaying matter.
  3. Chemistry. A substance added to a mixture to remove or inactivate impurities.

[Alteration of Middle English scauager, schavager, official charged with street maintenance, from Anglo-Norman scawager, toll collector, from scawage, a tax on the goods of foreign merchants, from Flemish scauwen, to look at, show.]


 
 
Word Tutor: scavenger
pronunciation

IN BRIEF: One who feeds or picks up someone's leftovers.

pronunciation The bold raccoon became a scavenger when night fell.

 
WordNet: scavenger
Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun has 3 meanings:

Meaning #1: a chemical agent that is added to a chemical mixture to counteract the effects of impurities

Meaning #2: someone who collects things that have been discarded by others
  Synonyms: magpie, pack rat

Meaning #3: any animal that feeds on refuse and other decaying organic matter


 
Wikipedia: scavenger
A group of white-backed vultures eating the carcass of a wildebeest.
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A group of white-backed vultures eating the carcass of a wildebeest.
Raven feeding on a small dead shark
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Raven feeding on a small dead shark
Harvestman eating the tail of a five-lined skink
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Harvestman eating the tail of a five-lined skink

Scavengers are animals that consume already dead animals (carrion). Scavengers play an important role in the ecosystem by contributing to the decomposition of dead animal remains. Decomposers complete this process, by consuming the remains left by scavengers.

Well known scavengers include vultures, burying beetles, blowflies, yellowjackets, and raccoons. Many large carnivores that hunt regularly--such as hyenas and lions--will scavenge if given the chance.

Animals which consume feces, such as dung beetles, are also referred to as scavengers. Animals which primarily consume dead plants (litter) are referred to as detritivores.

See also

References

  • Smith TM, Smith RL (2006) Elements of Ecology. Sixth edition. Benjamin Cummings, San Francisco, CA.
  • Chase, et al. The Scavenger Handbook. Bramblewood Press, Santa Barbara, CA.

 
Translations: Translations for: Scavenger

Dansk (Danish)
n. - person der roder i affald, klunser, renovationsarbejder, ådselsæder, nekrofag, skyllemiddel

Nederlands (Dutch)
aasdier, voddenraper

Français (French)
n. - faiseur de poubelles, récupérateur, charognard

Deutsch (German)
n. - Aasfresser, Reinigungsmittel, Straßenkehrer

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - ρακοσυλλέκτης, πτωματοφάγο ζώο

Italiano (Italian)
saprofago

Português (Portuguese)
n. - gari (m)

Русский (Russian)
мусорщик, животное, птица или рыба, питающееся отбросами или падалью, убирать мусор, смаковать грязные темы, бороться с пороками общества

Español (Spanish)
n. - carroñero

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - asätare, rehållningsarbetare, gatsopare, person som letar bland sopor

中文(简体) (Chinese (Simplified))
清道夫, 食腐动物

中文(繁體) (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 清道夫, 食腐動物

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 썩은 고기를 먹는 동물(독수리, 자칼 등), 쓰레기를 뒤지는 사람, 거리 청소원

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 掃除人, 死体に群がる動物, ごみをあさる人

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) حيوان يقتات بالقمامه, ألكاسحه, ألكناس,‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮פועל-ניקיון, מנקה רחובות (מיושן), חיה ניזונה מנבלות‬


 
 

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Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Word Tutor. Copyright © 2004-present by eSpindle Learning, a 501(c) nonprofit organization. All rights reserved.
eSpindle provides personalized spelling and vocabulary tutoring online; free trial Read more
WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Scavenger" Read more
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