What does hunting mean?
Hunting is the practice of searching for and pursuing wild animals, traditionally for food and more recently for sport or other purposes. As a verb, it can also mean looking persistently for a person, object, or opportunity, as in phrases such as hunting for a job or hunting for bargains. A third, less common sense is to persecute or chase someone relentlessly. Hunting is usually treated as an uncountable activity, although the countable noun is found in formal and literary writing. Its connotations vary with context: it may evoke tradition, rural life, skill, and outdoor recreation, while discussions of hunting often also address animal welfare. The word is useful because it connects a concrete historical practice with a broader figurative idea of persistent seeking and pursuit.
The activity of searching for and pursuing wild animals for food, sport, or other purposes; figuratively, a persistent search for someone or something.
"The village survived through fishing and hunting for many generations."
Normally uncountable; the countable singular is literary or archaic.
To search for or pursue wild animals, or figuratively to seek something or someone persistently.
"The researchers spent several days hunting for the source of the contamination."
Usually encountered as a present participle or gerund in constructions such as “hunting for.”
The plural is rare; hunting is normally used as an uncountable noun.
"Historical accounts describe seasonal huntings organized by local communities."
From tracking prey to tracking down a job, hunting shows how one basic idea travels far beyond the field.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hunting come from?
The English word hunting comes from Middle English hunten, derived from Old English hantian, meaning “to seek, track, or pursue.” The Old English verb belonged to the Germanic family of languages and reflects the longstanding importance of obtaining food by tracking and pursuing animals. English later developed hunter, huntress, and huntsman from the same root, with huntsman originally denoting a person employed in hunting.
How hunting is actually used
Hunting is normally uncountable when referring to the activity. The countable singular is literary or archaic. The term may sound neutral, traditional, or recreational, but it can also carry negative associations concerning animal welfare. In British usage, shooting is sometimes the more specific term for pursuing game birds.
Easily confused with hunting
Hunting is the act of searching for or pursuing something, whereas hunted describes someone or something that is being pursued.