vulture
/ˈvʌltʃə
/noun
1A large bird of prey with the head and neck more or less bare of feathers, feeding chiefly on carrion and reputed to gather with others in anticipation of the death of a sick or injured animal or person.
- Order Accipitriformes: the Old World vultures (family Accipitridae, especially Gyps and Aegypius) and the New World vultures (with the condors in the family Cathartidae).
- We come across vultures, at least a dozen of them, feeding on the remains of a young wild camel.
- Scenes such as this where a group of vultures gather are becoming more rare in many places of Africa.
2A contemptible person who preys on or exploits others: the press are vultures [as modifier]: rock musicians are set upon by vulture managers...
- What was wrong with the system that was in place before all these vulture companies came along?
- After my arrest the vultures who gathered, waiting for my carcass, weren't just after me.
- We made our way through the vultures answering a bare minimum of questions and sped away from the hospital.
Derivatives
vulturine
- After the Duke's death, Wallis felt particularly vulnerable to Lord Louis’ seemingly vulturine behavior.
- Members of the genus Gypohierax are small vulturine eagles, having long and broad wings, and a short, rounded tail.
- The vulturine guineafowl finds seeds, leaves and insects by scratching the ground with its feet.
vulturish
- I should say I ‘related’ to it I guess - enjoying other people's tales of woe sounds so vulturish, doesn't it?
- I hate to be too vulturish, but if you've been stalling about ordering your Casita you may have a really long wait if you delay too long.
- Still, their resemblance to us helps ‘Interview’ hit home, giving it a touch of relevance as it holds a mirror to the public's mutually vulturish relationship with celebrities.
vulturous
- Newspapers' duty is, ultimately, to the many, not the few, and there is no way to conduct a news business without seeming, especially to certain people related to what's being reported, callous or even vulturous.
- Alas, vulturous Christmas shoppers had already picked brutally over the carcass of the shelves, and the choice was slim.
- I came because you've given into my vulturous elder children when I didn't think you would.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French vultur, from Latin vulturius.