hunter-gatherer

noun

hunt·​er-gath·​er·​er ˈhən-tər-ˈga-t͟hər-ər How to pronounce hunter-gatherer (audio)
: a member of a culture in which food is obtained by hunting, fishing, and foraging rather than by agriculture or animal husbandry

Examples of hunter-gatherer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Researchers have also found the remains of poles, which suggests the Mesolithic hunter-gatherers were setting up camps. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2025 In contrast to humans, who evolved in hunter-gatherer groups, orangutans come from a more solitary lineage. Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 25 June 2025 These fatty acids are essential for cell membranes, particularly in the brain, and hunter-gatherers obtained them easily from meat and seafood. Kermit Pattison, Scientific American, 20 May 2025 Many questions remain about these Mesolithic communities, which were the last hunter-gatherers in Western Europe, said Crombé. Jack Guy, CNN Money, 19 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for hunter-gatherer

Word History

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hunter-gatherer was in 1938

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Cite this Entry

“Hunter-gatherer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hunter-gatherer. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

hunter-gatherer

noun
hunt·​er-gath·​er·​er
-ˈgat͟h-ər-ər,
-ˈget͟h-
: a member of a culture in which food is gotten by hunting, fishing, and gathering rather than by agriculture

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