bowhunting

noun

bow·​hunt·​ing ˈbō-ˌhən-tiŋ How to pronounce bowhunting (audio)
chiefly US
: hunting especially of large game animals (such as deer) done with bow and arrow
When Prenzlow questioned the hunter, he admitted that he had just killed an elk—but legally, by bowhunting.Fred Quartarone, Colorado Outdoors, January 1992
bowhunt verb, transitive + intransitive
bowhunted; bowhunting; bowhunts
He's bowhunted whitetails, elk, and bears across the country. Bill Winke, Field & Stream, September 2007
… was just returning from a hunting trip in Arizona, where he had bowhunted for black bear. Carl Sampson, Statesman Journal (Salem, Oregon), 1 June 2011
bowhunter noun
plural bowhunters
The public image of a bowhunter involves great strength with which to draw his bow. Doug Kittredge, Bow & Arrow, September 1967

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bowhunting was in 1920

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near bowhunting

Cite this Entry

“Bowhunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bowhunting. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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