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Victim vs Prey vs Quarry

Victim, preyquarry denote a person or animal killed or injured for the ends of the one who kills or injures.

Victim primarily applies to a living creature, usually an animal, sometimes a person, that is killed and offered as a sacrifice to a divinity; in more general use it applies to one who has been destroyed, ruined, seriously injured, or badly treated by some ruthless person or impersonal power before which he has been helpless.

Prey applies to animals hunted and killed for food by more powerful carnivorous animals. In extended sense prey applies to a victim of something that seizes or captures or fells in a manner suggestive of the action of a predatory animal.

Quarry is predominantly a hunting term referable to a victim of the chase, especially one taken with hounds or hawks; it may be applied to the animal as pursued as well as the animal as taken after pursuit.

In extended use quarry usually applies to a person or thing determined upon as a victim and vigorously and relentlessly pursued.