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

In a moment well documented over the decades, one of the hunters mistook LeMond for a duck and shot him. — Tom Campbell, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026

The feature most likely to stop a house hunter mid-scroll isn’t the golf-course view or even the elevators. — David Caraccio updated July 31, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026

A lot of hunters would say two is too early to begin teaching kids archery. — Beka Garris, Outdoor Life, 30 July 2026

The Albatross sits less than a five-minute walk to the sand, but for guests who don’t feel like carrying their gear, a cute hunter-green buggy waits right out front. — Adam Erace, Travel + Leisure, 30 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