Where does “apex predator” come from?

apex predator (English) comes from English predator, from Latin praedātor, from Latin praedor, from Latin praeda, from Latin praeheda, from Latin prae, from Proto-Italic prai, from Proto-Indo-European preh₂- — passed , crossed.

apex predator (English): An animal atop the food chain, preying but not...

Definitions

  1. An animal atop the food chain, preying but not...

Ancestry of “apex predator”, step by step

apex predator traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English predator

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpredatorAny animal or other organism that hunts and kills...
2Latinpraedātorraider, plunderer, pillager, hunter
3LatinpraedorI acquire loot, such as through robbery or war; I...
4Latinpraedaplunder, spoils of war, booty; prey, game taken...
5Latinpraeheda
6Latinpraebefore; in front; in front of
7Proto-Italicpraibefore; in front of
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpreh₂-before, in front
9Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

via English apex

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishapexconical priest cap; The highest or the greatest...
2LatinapexThe extreme end of a thing; the point, summit, top
3LatinapoI fasten; attach, connect; join, bind
4Proto-Italicapō
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ep-water, body of water
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tósEvery word from Proto-Indo-European per-Every word from Proto-Indo-European preh₂-