piranha

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

noun someone who attacks in search of booty
noun small voraciously carnivorous freshwater fishes of South America that attack and destroy living animals

First attested in 1869. The term entered English either via Portuguese piranha or Spanish piraña, from Old Tupi pirãîa.

[432] The piranha, though quite a small fish,[433] is even more ferocious. — The North-West Amazons: Notes of some months spent among cannibal tribes, Thomas Whiffen
What this does is make sure that any company that swallows you is going to be ingesting a piranha that will eat said company's own guts instead. — The Samurai Strategy, Thomas Hoover

marauder, predator, vulture

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