hunter

noun

hunt·​er ˈhən-tər 

1

a

: a person who hunts game

b

: a dog used or trained for hunting

c

: a horse used or adapted for use in hunting with hounds

especially : a fast strong horse trained for cross-country work and jumping

2

: one that searches for something

3

: a pocket watch with a hinged protective cover

Synonyms of hunter

• archer
• huntsman
• falconer

Examples of hunter in a Sentence

hunters must have a license to shoot deer

Recent Examples on the Web

Your hyperactive dog catches the scent of a deer and, powered by his hunter's instinct, disappears in the forest. — Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 11 July 2026

Last year, Russian lawmaker Sergey Mironov suggested Svalbard should be renamed the Pomor Islands, in reference to a group of Russian hunters and trappers present on the archipelago centuries ago. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 10 July 2026

Taylor Stanberry is a professional python hunter from Naples. — Sarah Perkel, USA Today, 10 July 2026

After years of being pursued, he was finally shot by the British hunter Jim Corbett in 1930. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing hunter

• anti-hunter
• bounty hunter
• fortune hunter
• head-hunter
• hunter-gatherer
• hunter green
• white hunter

Rhymes for hunter

• bunter
• punter

Kids Definition

hunter

noun

hunt·​er ˈhənt-ər 

1

: a person who hunts

especially : one who hunts game

2

: a dog or horse used or trained for hunting

Geographical Definition

Hunter

geographical name

Hun·​ter ˈhən-tər 

river 287 miles (462 kilometers) long in eastern New South Wales, southeastern Australia, flowing east into the Pacific

Biographical Definition

Hunter

biographical name

Hun·​ter ˈhən-tər 

John 1728–1793 British anatomist and surgeon