Kayentavenator, whose name translates to "Kayenta hunter," is a genus of small carnivorous tetanuran dinosaur that thrived during the Early Jurassic Period. Fossils belonging to this genus were discovered within the Kayenta Formation in northeastern Arizona and were formally documented in 2010.

The holotype specimen, named K. elysiae, is recognized as a juvenile, a conclusion supported by the presence of unfused neural spines. In terms of height, this young Kayentavenator would have measured approximately 0.5 meters (1.6 feet) at the hip. However, the precise dimensions of the adult Kayentavenator remain uncertain.

The sole known fossils of Kayentavenator were unearthed by the University of California Museum of Paleontology from the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. This dinosaur was initially briefly described in 2003, with a more comprehensive account provided in 2010. The available fossils include portions of the pelvis, partial hindlimbs, and various vertebrae.