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

Access roads cut for construction allow poachers who target lynx prey and loggers who destroy the cat’s habitat to penetrate deeper into previously remote terrain. —Emily Soreghan, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Oct. 2024

The poachers allegedly drove around this area at night, spotlighting deer and shooting them from a vehicle. —Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 16 Oct. 2024

What’s lying beneath the surfaces is even more brutal – poachers in the woods, men waiting to sell women on the black market. —Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 20 Oct. 2024

Hunters and poachers Gauging public attitudes toward carnivores is crucial for their conservation. —Emily Soreghan, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Oct. 2024

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