"to seek prey," 1974, a back-formation from predator, predation, etc. Related: Predated; predating. For the word that means "antedate; pre-exist," see pre-date.
Entries linking to predate
predator n.
"animal that preys upon another," 1862, from Latin praedator "plunderer," from praedari "to rob" (see predation). Latin Predatores (Swainson, 1840) was used in biology of the group of coleopterous insects that ate other insects.
predation n.
late 15c., predacioun, "act of plundering or pillaging," from Latin praedationem (nominative praedatio) "a plundering, act of taking booty," from praedari "to rob, to plunder," from praeda "plunder, booty, prey" (see prey (n.)). Zoological sense recorded from 1907.
pre-date v.
also predate, 1859, "to antedate, to assign an earlier date to than the actual time," from pre- + date (n.1) "point in time." From 1857 as "to exist before, be of an earlier date than." Related: Pre-dated; pre-dating.