Definition of scavenger Scavenger

/skæˈvʌnʤɚ/ - [skatvunjer] - scav•en•ger

We found 11 definitions of scavenger from 6 different sources.

What does scavenger mean?

Noun Plural: scavengers
scavenger - any animal that feeds on refuse and other decaying organic matter
		animal, animate being, beast, brute, fauna, creature a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
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
scavenger - someone who collects things that have been discarded by others
		magpie, pack rat
		hoarder a person who accumulates things and hides them away for future use

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scavenger (Noun)
A street sweeper.
scavenger (Noun)
Someone who scavenges, especially one who searches through rubbish for food or useful things.
scavenger (Noun)
An animal that feeds on decaying matter such as carrion.
scavenger (Noun)
A substance used to remove impurities from the air or from a solution.

scavenger (v.)
A person whose employment is to clean the streets of a city, by scraping or sweeping, and carrying off the filth. The name is also applied to any animal which devours refuse, carrion, or anything injurious to health.

scavenger
skav′en-jėr, n. one who cleans the streets: an animal which feeds on carrion: a child employed to pick up loose cotton from the floor in a cotton-mill.—ns. Scav′agery, street-cleansing; Scav′aging.—v.t. Scav′enge, to cleanse.—ns. Scav′enger-bee′tle, a beetle which acts as a scavenger; Scav′enger-crab, any crab which feeds on decaying animal matter; Scav′engering; Scav′engerism; Scav′engery.—Scavenger's daughter, an instrument of torture by pressure with an iron hoop, invented by Sir W. Skevington, Lieutenant of the Tower under Henry VIII. [Orig. scavager, an inspector of goods for sale, and also of the streets; from scavage, duty on goods for sale—A.S. sceawian, to inspect; cf. Show.]