Scavenger Definition: Meaning and Usage

Scavenger (not “scarbinger”) refers to:

1. Biology: An organism that feeds on dead or decaying organic matter (carrion, detritus). Examples: vultures, hyenas, crabs, beetles, bacteria, fungi. Vital for nutrient recycling.
2. Human context: A person who searches for and collects discarded items (e.g., waste pickers, freegans, dumpster divers).
3. Chemistry: A substance that removes impurities or unwanted reactants (e.g., oxygen scavengers in food packaging).
4. Computing: A process that reclaims unused memory or resources (garbage collection).

The term derives from Old French scawageour (official who collected scavage tax on imported goods).