noun
huntsman
Huntsman (noun) means a man who hunts, especially one who manages the hounds during a traditional hunt. Example: “The huntsman blew his horn to call the hounds back.”
noun
1
A man who hunts, especially one who manages the hounds during a traditional hunt.
"The huntsman blew his horn to call the hounds back."
2
A large, fast-moving spider of the family Sparassidae, known for its long legs.
"A huntsman spider darted across the ceiling of the shed."
"Two huntsmen spiders prowl Harry′s bedroom ceiling."
— Carrie Tiffany, Mateship with Birds (2012)
"After the huntsman raced across my windscreen, I had an arachnophobic meltdown on the side of the road."
— Alexandra Carlton, The kindness of strangers: I pulled over in hysterics – then a passing driver saved me from the spider (2025)
How to use huntsman
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a traditional fox-hunt official in charge of the hounds, or a big, fast spider.
Common mistake
In everyday Australian and Asian English, "huntsman" almost always refers to the spider, not a person.
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Word forms
- Plural
- huntsmen, huntsmans
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ blew his horn to call the hounds back.
Etymology
From hunt plus -s- plus man, literally "hunt's man."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “huntsman” mean?
The word “huntsman” means a man who hunts, especially one who manages the hounds during a traditional hunt. In plain terms, either a traditional fox-hunt official in charge of the hounds, or a big, fast spider.
How do you use “huntsman” in a sentence?
Here is “huntsman” used in a sentence: “The huntsman blew his horn to call the hounds back.”
What part of speech is “huntsman”?
“Huntsman” is a noun.
How many meanings does “huntsman” have?
“Huntsman” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a man who hunts, especially one who manages the hounds during a traditional hunt.
