headhunter

noun

head·​hunt·​er ˈhed-ˌhən-tər How to pronounce headhunter (audio)
variants or less commonly head hunter or head-hunter
plural headhunters also head hunters or head-hunters
1
: a recruiter of personnel especially at the executive or elite level
Don't automatically assume that all personnel agencies, job recruiters and executive headhunters are working for your best interest.Essence
When a corporation enlists the aid of a headhunter to fill a top position, it usually means it has already looked at its internal talent pool …Mary Miles
2
sports : an athlete who intentionally seeks to physically intimidate or harm an opponent
[Hockey player Marty] McSorley has had only two other stick suspensions, eight and 12 years ago. … To paint McSorley as a ruthless headhunter is wrong.Barry Melrose
especially : a pitcher who deliberately throws balls at or near a batter's head
[Jaret] Wright, a Cleveland righthander who had hit five batters this season and triggered two bench-clearing brawls, was officially condemned as a beanball-throwing bully—a headhunter, as they're known in the hallways of baseball. Tom Verducci et al.
3
: one that engages in the act or custom of seeking out and decapitating enemies and preserving their heads as trophies
Until recently they were feared as war-like headhunters and maintained few relations with neighbouring tribes.World Religions

Examples of headhunter in a Sentence

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.
Meet Howard Lutnick, the Wall Street big wig who has become Trump’s headhunter in chief for a possible new administration. Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 1 Nov. 2024 To their surprise, the island is home to an ancient tribe of headhunters guarding the land at all costs. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Oct. 2024 The ultimate in household head-hunting is to hire the headhunters themselves. Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 12 Sep. 2024 The fashion brand is now reportedly working with headhunters to replace its chairman, Gerry Murphy, according to Sky News. Karen Gilchrist, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for headhunter 

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of headhunter was in 1800

Dictionary Entries Near headhunter

Cite this Entry

“Headhunter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/headhunter. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!