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

Big game hunters, backpackers, river runners, national park visitors, artists and musicians all make the long trek into Big Bend National Park for the wilderness, the wildlands and the solitude. —Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 28 Feb. 2026

Villa said the fact that the newborn is a boy creates the possibility of restoring male roles like hunter. —ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026

At the same time, the audio trace fills with a rapid series of ultrasonic echolocation calls, the staccato sound of a hunter steering through darkness. —Leonie Baier, The Conversation, 27 Feb. 2026

When storms and waves churn the ocean floor, these fossils slowly get unearthed, landing along the sandy shores for treasure hunters to happen upon. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 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