poacher

1 of 2

noun (1)

poach·​er ˈpō-chər 

1

: one that trespasses or steals

2

: one who kills or takes wild animals (such as game or fish) illegally

poacher

2 of 2

noun (2)

1

: a covered pan containing a plate with depressions or shallow cups in each of which an egg can be cooked over steam rising from boiling water in the bottom of the pan

2

: a baking dish in which food (such as fish) can be poached

Examples of poacher in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In another photograph, a pangolin orphaned by poachers is comforted with a blanket at a rescue center in South Africa. —Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026

In 2013, Goodall watched as a chimpanzee named Wounda, who had almost died at the hands of poachers, was released to a Congolese animal sanctuary. —Shayla Love, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026

New Jersey’s law prevented poachers from hunting on private land closed to the public. —Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 17 Jan. 2026

His ability to dribble to the end line and behind the defense to provide service into the box could complement Dejan Joveljic’s elite poacher tendencies. —Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 15 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

poach entry 2

Noun (2)

poach entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1574, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1861, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for poacher

• cloture