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

• huntsman
• nimrod

Examples of hunter in a Sentence

hunters must have a license to shoot deer

Recent Examples on the Web

In a league full of flashy stat hunters, Rollins brings his lunch pail and just goes to work. —Brian Sampson, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025

After getting a chocolate Labrador retriever, a young woman was expecting to have a good hunter in the house. —John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025

There will also be new characters for guests to greet and learn their lore — an eccentric monster hunter and a talented musician who regales guests with songs and tales. —Samantha Neely, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025

European archaeologists believe that Quina scrapers were invented to meet the needs of highly mobile hunters living in cool and dry climates. —Ben Marwick, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 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