predatory

/ˈpɹɛdət(ə)ɹi/

//ˈpɹɛdət(ə)ɹi// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"predatory" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“predatory” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #17,447. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#17,447
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Of, or relating to a predator.

Corpus desk

Index EN-predatory · predatory · English

predatory · rank #17,447 · 14 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #17,447
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH preface

Nearest frequency peer: preface (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “predatory”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “predatory” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

predatory vs predator
89% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for predatory
PropertyValue
Headwordpredatory
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈpɹɛdət(ə)ɹi/
Letters9
Frequency rank#17,447
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “predatory”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).predatorylands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “preface” (#17,448), “playwright” (#17,445), “prescribe” (#17,449). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “predatory” is #17,447. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around predatory (IPA /ˈpɹɛdət(ə)ɹi/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #17,447 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for predatory, with forms such as "perdatory", "ppredatory", and "prdeatory". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "predator", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin praedātōrius, equivalent to predator + -y. The correct English form is predatory, spelled P-R-E-D-A-T-O-R-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of, or relating to a predator.
  2. 2
    Living by preying on other living animals.
  3. 3
    Exploiting or victimizing others for personal gain.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how predatory appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Harry Kane was back to his predatory best after struggling in the group stage, following up his goal against Germany by poking home a superb pass from Raheem Sterling after only four minutes.
  2. And while there are plenty of benches, there's little shelter from the wind (or predatory seagulls the size of dogs) out on the platforms.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin praedātōrius, equivalent to predator + -y.

This word in other languages

depredador(Español)prédateur(Français)räuberisch(Deutsch)predatório(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • perdatory
  • ppredatory
  • prdeatory
  • preadtory
  • predaotry
  • predatorry
  • predatoryy
  • predatoyr
  • predatroy
  • predattory
  • preddatory
  • predtaory
  • prredatory
  • rpedatory

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of predatory - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

perdatory2ppredatory1prdeatory2preadtory2predaotry2predatorry1predatoryy1predatoyr2
Edit distance from "predatory"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "predatory"?
"predatory" is spelled P-R-E-D-A-T-O-R-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɹɛdət(ə)ɹi/.
What does "predatory" mean?
As an adjective, "predatory" means: Of, or relating to a predator.
What words are commonly confused with "predatory"?
"predatory" is commonly confused with "predator". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "predatory"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "predatory" is /ˈpɹɛdət(ə)ɹi/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "predatory"?
Borrowed from Latin praedātōrius, equivalent to predator + -y. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "predatory", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

prescribe#17,449pervasive#17,442oxidation#17,437misplaced#17,417

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

rhythmic14 variantssemantics14 variantsspherical14 variantshorseback14 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list