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

The incident comes about a year after a teenager died in rural Iowa, after he was shot by a fellow hunter who apparently mistook him for a squirrel. — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026

Named for the massive cliffs that stretch across 32 miles of shoreline, Calvert Cliffs is also a mecca for fossil hunters. — Katie Riley, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2026

Brokers say there are enough bargain hunters out there to take space priced under $60 per square foot. — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 18 Sep. 2026

Those tend to be flights preferred by bargain hunters, not business travelers, said Zach Griff, author of an airline newsletter, From the Tray Table. — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 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