I am doing a project for a logo that intends to use the Latin translation for the term "Apex Predator". From the various web sites if have visited it appears that "Apicem Rapax" is one possible translation. Would like to ask if you can confirm this or provide a more appropriate translation.
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4That literally means 'a rapacious man [is doing something to] the summit'. :p– AnonymNov 17, 2017 at 4:19
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Does the person who asked this question work for 5.11 tactical? I made a purchase several months ago that came with a patch of a saber tooth tiger skeleton that’s says “apicem rapax” underneath..– Sam Robert SinnenbergApr 9, 2020 at 0:49
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2 Answers
My suggestion is praedator summus. The word summus means "highest", "top", "peak", "last", "supreme", "most important", and similar things. See Lewis and Short (superus III.C) for details.
An apex predator is the last one in a food chain and at the top of the ecological structure. I find summus to be a good description of this situation, and it also parallels the literal meaning of "apex" (basic meaning: summus = "highest").
While apex is a Latin noun, I find it more natural to use an adjective than a noun here.
answered Nov 17, 2017 at 6:58
Apex is a noun, and Latin cannot, unlike English, use nouns as adjectives. I don't know if there was a set phrase for this term, though I doubt it.
Praedator is where we get the word 'predator' from, and like the English, it can mean "hunter."
Apex is a metaphorical word for "top," so I'd suggest something like:
Praedator primus
Primus means "first," but it's often used to mean "best" or "top" or even "greatest," with emphasis on primacy. The chief centurion, for example, of a Roman legion was the primus pilus.