Hunting

ˈhʌntɪŋ

verbBeginner📊CommonGeneral
2 meanings1 idiom/phrase3 questions

Definitions

2 meanings
1

To pursue and kill or capture animals.

ˈhʌntɪŋ

verbneutralBeginner
General

To pursue and kill or capture (an animal) for food or sport.

The lion was hunting for its prey.

💡 Simply: Imagine you're playing a game where you have to find and catch animals, but instead of a game, it's real! Hunting means going out to find and catch animals for food or for fun.

👶 For kids: When you're hunting, you're trying to find and catch animals, like when a cat hunts a mouse!

More Examples

2

Many people enjoy hunting as a sport.

3

They went hunting for mushrooms in the woods.

How It's Used

Sports

"They went hunting for deer in the forest."

Conservation

"Regulated hunting can help control animal populations."

2

The act of chasing and capturing or killing animals.

ˈhʌntɪŋ

nounneutralBeginner
General

The activity of pursuing and killing or capturing animals for food or sport.

Hunting is a controversial topic.

💡 Simply: Hunting is when people go out to find and catch animals, like going on a treasure hunt but with animals instead!

👶 For kids: Hunting is when people go looking for animals, like when you're playing hide-and-seek and you have to find all your friends!

More Examples

2

He enjoys hunting in the fall.

3

Regulations exist to control hunting seasons.

How It's Used

Recreation

"Hunting is a popular pastime in many rural areas."

Environmentalism

"The ethical considerations of hunting are often debated."

Tip:Picture a group of people with dogs and rifles in the woods.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Idioms & expressions

hunting ground

An area where animals are hunted.

"The forest is a rich hunting ground for deer."

From Old English *huntian*, related to *hund* (dog) and Proto-Germanic *hundaz* (dog). The meaning evolved from chasing and capturing animals for food or sport.

The word's use has evolved from a literal pursuit of game to a more figurative sense of searching for something. It appears frequently in historical texts related to land ownership and animal control.

Memory tip

Think of a hunter with a rifle in the forest, tracking a deer.

Word Origin

LanguageProto-Germanic
Original meaning

"To chase, to pursue."

deer huntingbear huntinggame huntinghunting seasonhunting permitbig game hunting

Common misspellings

hunttinghuting

Usage

30%Spoken
70%Written