hunter

noun

hunt·​er ˈhən-tər How to pronounce hunter (audio)
Synonyms of hunternext
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 of hunter

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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.
On the day of the scavenger hunt, the team hides its creations around town, while ravenous worm-hunters eagerly await their first hint of where a ceramic worm decorated to look like a pickle, or a crayon, or a rainbow dinosaur, can be found. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026 And participating in a kind of cat-like hunter game, being entertained in a way that animals do for each other, can be very simple. — Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026 Both will star as the central con-artist ghost hunters who stumble upon a real ghost during one of their scams. — Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026 For a curate, James was also rather extravagant, keeping a pack of hunters while his wife kept a fashionable carriage. — Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026 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

Phrases Containing hunter

Rhymes for hunter

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Browse Nearby Words

hunt down
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Cite this Entry

“Hunter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hunter. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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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
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