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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The game will start with a new setting, with vault hunters leaving previous installments setting of Pandora for the all-new planet of Kairos, and will confront a villain called The Timekeeper. Jonathan Zavaleta, Rolling Stone, 25 July 2025 Then, in one of the boldest gut punches in children's cinema, Disney yanks the rug out from under its audience with an offscreen tragedy: Bambi's mother is gunned down by an unseen hunter, making this the studio's first foray in introducing young viewers to parental loss. James Mercadante, EW.com, 23 July 2025 Texas deer hunters still kill more whitetails than anyone else. Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 23 July 2025 The letter endorses next generation weather satellites, radars and new hurricane hunter aircraft to replace the current aging fleet, along with computing capabilities to catch up with, and eventually pass, the superior accuracy of European forecast centers. Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 21 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for hunter

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hunter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hunter. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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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