hunter

noun

hunt·​er ˈhən-tər How to pronounce hunter (audio)
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

Examples of hunter in a Sentence

hunters must have a license to shoot deer
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
How is the ice storm impacting hunters? Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 15 Oct. 2025 Jeanroy tells me that only animals can smell truffles in the wild, as the delicacy grows up to a foot underground near tree roots; by law in France, hunters can use only pigs and dogs to find them. Aislyn Greene, AFAR Media, 15 Oct. 2025 Michael Meredith, an avid duck hunter, will teach basic calling techniques. Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2025 And after selling at auction in 2007, the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virgina began offering ghost tours to the public — and got a major boost in 2009, when a team of ghost hunters locked themselves inside for the night to record a live show. Jen Rose Smith, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hunter

Word History

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of hunter was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hunter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hunter. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

hunter

noun
hunt·​er ˈhənt-ər How to pronounce hunter (audio)
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 How to pronounce Hunter (audio)
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 How to pronounce Hunter (audio)
John 1728–1793 British anatomist and surgeon

More from Merriam-Webster on hunter

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