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 The opposing side of the debate — which includes not only trophy hunters but also pragmatic conservationists — says trophy hunting is controlled, unlike poaching, and has more financial benefits for local communities and for conservation than photographic tourism does. Kate Brady, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024 The commission's decision dismayed many of Michigan's hunters and trappers, who have now filed suit against the commission in courts in Ingham and Mackinac counties. Jennifer Dixon, Detroit Free Press, 3 Apr. 2024 House hunters, meanwhile, haven't seen their wages increase at the same pace. Joe Hernandez, NPR, 2 Apr. 2024 Stuffy meetings about abstract budget crunching can feel like distant concerns in Thomasville, a bastion for quail hunters that is much closer to Tallahassee, Fla., than to Atlanta. Matt Stevens, New York Times, 29 Mar. 2024 One hunter, writing in a Letter to the Editor of the Miles City Star, said more waterfowl hunters on the river will push geese further south. Travis Hall, Field & Stream, 28 Mar. 2024 For new bowhunters and youth hunters, a hub-style ground blind is invaluable. Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 3 Apr. 2024 The teaser seems to imply that this hunter is the same one who killed Bambi’s mother. Ryan Fish, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Apr. 2024 That being said, the film’s human storylines — about a Godzilla hunter, his precocious daughter, and a photojournalist looking for the ultimate Godzilla shot — are a boilerplate extension of the Heisei era in structure and tone. Katie Rife, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hunter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near hunter

Cite this Entry

“Hunter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hunter. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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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