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hunter

hunter

411 1.0
A person who looks for and kills wild animals for food or sport
  • noun
  • /ˈhʌntər/
translation icon : cazador
  • As an experienced hunter, she knew which areas were best for tracking deer.
  • a hunter-gatherer
  • a big-game hunter
  • prey for hunters

You know, he's Scots, Irish hunters from the hills of North Carolina.

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Examples

  • The people who carved the petroglyphs either lived here as hunter-gatherers or traveled through the territory.

    Academic text (2008)
  • "The only problem with this place is there aren't enough rabbit hunters up here."

    Academic text (2011)
  • After all, what did I know about the great white African hunter?

  • With the sure return of the season, the hunter was prompt in his own return.

    Academic text (1999)
  • The next day they found the hunters.

  • When the scientists arrived, several hunters had gathered at the spot.

    Academic text (2012)
  • When I give a hunter back his trophy, I want that animal to haunt his dreams.

  • Historic texts identified them as hunters who traveled on skis, but said little else.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Or, as an anthropologist put it, "People have lived in hunter-gatherer bands for 99.87 percent of human existence."

    Academic text (2011)
  • Most likely, the condors had swallowed bullet fragments left by hunters in unrecovered deer and other carcasses.

    Academic text (1999)

Synonyms

trapper
vshunter
24 5.8

A person who catches wild animals with traps for their fur

is broader, not limited to trapping methods or fur trade
huntsman
vshunter
23 5.9

A man who catches or kills wild animals, often for sport

is gender neutral and covers food, sport, or profit motives
huntress
vshunter
11 4.7

A woman who looks for wild animals to catch or kill

is gender neutral and covers food, sport, or profit motives
stalker
vshunter
4 6.5

A person who quietly follows animals to hunt them

is broader and does not require this stealth method
deer hunter
vshunter
4 2.5

A person who hunts deer for sport or food

is broader and not limited to any single prey species
fowler
vshunter
  • Archaic
4 9.9

A person who hunts wild birds for food

is broader and includes mammals and other nonbird prey
duck hunter
vshunter
2 2.8

A person who hunts ducks for sport or food

is broader and applies to hunting many animal types
bowhunter
vshunter
  • US
1 5.9

A person who hunts animals with a bow and arrows

is broader and includes many hunting methods beyond this weapon
fox hunter
vshunter
  • UK
1 6.2

A person who rides a horse and follows dogs to catch foxes

is general and covers many animals and uses beyond this sport
cacciatore
vshunter
1 8.8

A person who hunts wild animals for food or sport

is the common English term rather than the foreign form
harpooner
vshunter
1 8.9

A person who throws a long spear to catch whales and other large sea animals

is inland and sea hunting combined, not limited to harpooning
waterfowler
vshunter
1 8.6

A person who hunts ducks and other water birds for sport

is broader and not restricted to waterfowl or sport
whaleman
vshunter
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A person who hunts whales or works on a ship that catches whales

is the general term for land and sea wild animal hunting
wolfer
vshunter
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A person who hunts wolves to sell their fur

is broader and includes many species beyond wolves
jager
vshunter
9.1

A person who hunts wild animals for food or sport

is the common English term rather than the foreign form
huntswoman
vshunter
7.0

A woman who goes out to find and kill wild animals like deer for sport or work

is gender neutral and covers food, sport, or profit motives
pothunter
vshunter
  • US
9.3

A person who catches animals mainly to use their meat for food

covers food motive but also includes sport or profit motives
spearer
vshunter
7.1

A person or animal that uses a long pointed stick to catch food

is broader and not tied to any single hunting weapon
lion-hunter
vshunter
7.0

A person who hunts lions for sport or for money

is broader and not limited to any single dangerous species

Antonyms

238 1.9

An animal hunted and killed by another animal for food

Compounds

68 5.4

A person who finds and captures people or animals to get a reward

A person who lives by catching animals and picking wild plants for food instead of farming

A person who looks for goods sold at low prices

4 2.5

A person who hunts deer for sport or food

fortune hunter
  • Offensive
3 5.9

A person who tries to become rich by marrying someone rich

witch-hunter
  • Literature
3 8.2

A person who unfairly attacks people for their opinions

2 2.8

A person who hunts ducks for sport or food

1 6.2

A person who rides a horse and follows dogs to catch foxes

bounty hunter
  • Jargon
4.0

A person who finds and reports security bugs in software to earn money

A person who studies insects like beetles

bug-hunter
  • Jargon
4.0

A person who finds and reports software bugs and security problems

cool hunter
  • Jargon
8.1

A person who finds new styles in fashion and culture likely to become popular

A person who tries to be seen with famous people to get attention

A person who hunts lions for sport or for money

How Persistent

stalker
  • Offensive
119 7.0
hunter
411 1.0
chaser
20 4.6
pursuer
15 4.2
follower
24 1.0

Surface Forms

hunter singular
hunters plural

Morphology

hunter = hunt (transparent) = hunt + er

This is a regular agent noun meaning 'one who hunts', so the word is directly built from hunt + -er.

Etymology

Hunter comes from the old English word hunta, which is built on the verb hunt meaning 'to chase'. So a hunter is literally 'one who hunts', which is why we use it for people who catch wild animals.