Noun: scavenger ska-vin-ju(r)
- Any animal that feeds on refuse and other decaying organic matter
"Vultures are important scavengers in the ecosystem"
- Someone who collects things that have been discarded by others
"The local scavenger's house was filled with curiosities found at flea markets";
- magpie, pack rat
- A chemical agent that is added to a chemical mixture to counteract the effects of impurities
"A scavenger was added to the fuel to prevent the formation of harmful deposits"
Derived forms: scavengers
Type of: aggregator, animal, animate being, chemical agent, collector, hoarder
Encyclopedia: Scavenger