English Meaning & Definitions
A person who captures fugitives or criminals for whom a reward or bounty has been offered by authorities or private entities.
- “The bounty hunter tracked the fugitive across three state lines to claim the reward.”
- “In many Western films, the bounty hunter is portrayed as a solitary figure operating outside the traditional law enforcement system.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “bounty hunter”.
The term derives from 'bounty,' originating from the Old French 'bonte' (goodness/generosity), which evolved to mean a reward or premium paid by a government for a specific service. By the 19th century, it specifically referred to payments for capturing fugitives or military recruits. 'Hunter' is of Germanic origin, referring to one who pursues game. The compound emerged in the American Old West to describe private individuals who tracked down outlaws for the financial reward offered by authorities.
Think of a 'bounty' as a 'bonus' payment for 'hunting' down a criminal.
Frequently Asked Questions About “bounty hunter”
1. What is the meaning of “bounty hunter” in English?
In English, bounty hunter (noun) is defined as: “A person who captures fugitives or criminals for whom a reward or bounty has been offered by authorities or private entities.”.
2. How do you use “bounty hunter” in a sentence?
“The bounty hunter tracked the fugitive across three state lines to claim the reward.”
3. What are English synonyms of “bounty hunter”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “bounty hunter”?
The term derives from 'bounty,' originating from the Old French 'bonte' (goodness/generosity), which evolved to mean a reward or premium paid by a government for a specific service. By the 19th century, it specifically referred to payments for capturing fugitives or military recruits. 'Hunter' is of Germanic origin, referring to one who pursues game. The compound emerged in the American Old West to describe private individuals who tracked down outlaws for the financial reward offered by authorities.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
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The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
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