scavenger

scav·en·ger  (skvn-jr)

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.

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[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.]

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scavenger [ˈskævɪndʒə]

n

1. a person who collects things discarded by others

2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Zoology) any animal that feeds on decaying organic matter, esp on refuse

3. (Chemistry) a substance added to a chemical reaction or mixture to counteract the effect of impurities

4. a person employed to clean the streets

[from Anglo-Norman scawager, from Old Norman French escauwage examination, from escauwer to scrutinize, of Germanic origin; related to Flemish scauwen]

scavengery  n

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scavenger  (skvn-jr)

An animal that feeds on dead organisms, especially a carnivorous animal that eats dead animals rather than or in addition to hunting live prey. Vultures, hyenas, and wolves are scavengers.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	scavenger - a chemical agent that is added to a chemical mixture to counteract the effects of impurities chemical agent - an agent that produces chemical reactions
	2.	scavenger - someone who collects things that have been discarded by others pack rat, magpie hoarder - a person who accumulates things and hides them away for future use
	3.	scavenger - any animal that feeds on refuse and other decaying organic matter animal, animate being, beast, creature, fauna, brute - a living organism characterized by voluntary movement bottom-feeder - a scavenger that feeds low on the food chain

Translations

scavenger [ˈskævɪndʒəʳ] N

1. (= person) → persona f que rebusca en las basuras, pepenador(a) m/f (Mex)

2. (Zool) (= animal) → animal m carroñero; (= bird) → ave f de carroña; (= insect) → insecto m de carroña

scavenger [ˈskævɪndʒə^r] n

(= animal) → charognard m

(= person) → éboueur m

scavenger

n (= animal) → Aasfresser m; (fig: = person) → Aasgeier m

scavenger [ˈskævɪndʒəʳ] n (animal) → insetto (or animale m) necrofago; (person) chi fruga nei rifiuti alla ricerca di qualcosa