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

• archer
• huntsman
• falconer

Examples of hunter in a Sentence

hunters must have a license to shoot deer

Recent Examples on the Web

Please remember that while property owners may jeer the recent price declines – if not question the math – long-suffering house hunters see these dips as a glimmer of hope. —Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025

Early human hunters, equipped with stone tools and organized strategies, posed a new threat — not so much to the lions, but to their prey base. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025

Mearns quail are less inclined to call, leaving biologists to infer trends in their population from wings that hunters voluntarily leave in barrels set out at popular hunting areas. —Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 9 Sep. 2025

In Indiana, frog hunters can harvest 25 American bullfrogs or green frogs a day. —Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 9 Sep. 2025

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