scavenger

/ˈskævɪndʒər/
noun
  1. A person who searches for and collects usable items from discarded or waste material.
    • Scavengers at the recycling center sort through piles of plastic and metal.
    • The scavenger found a working laptop in the dumpster.
    • During the war, many people became scavengers, looking for food and supplies in ruined buildings.
  2. An animal that feeds on dead or decaying organic matter.
    • A vulture is a scavenger that helps clean up the environment by eating dead animals.
    • Crabs act as scavengers on the beach, consuming dead fish and seaweed.
    • Hyenas are well-known scavengers that often steal kills from other predators.
  3. A substance or device that removes harmful substances from a system or environment.
    • Oxygen scavengers are added to food packaging to keep the contents fresh.
    • The chemical scavenger neutralizes chlorine in the water supply.
    • This filter acts as a scavenger, trapping dust and pollen from the air.
Antonyms
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