sharpshooter
|sharp-shoot-er|
🇺🇸
/ˈʃɑrpˌʃuːtər/
🇬🇧
/ˈʃɑːpˌʃuːtə/
highly accurate shooter
Etymology
'sharpshooter' originates from English, specifically a compound of 'sharp' and 'shooter', where 'sharp' meant 'keen/acute' and 'shooter' meant 'one who shoots'.
'sharp' comes from Old English 'scearp' meaning 'cutting, keen', and 'shoot' comes from Old English 'sceotan' meaning 'to shoot'; these elements were combined in Modern English to form the compound 'sharpshooter'.
Initially, it meant 'one who shoots sharply/accurately'; over time it evolved into the more specific sense 'a highly skilled shooter or marksman', including military/police snipers and figurative uses.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who shoots with great accuracy, especially at long range; a skilled marksman.
The sharpshooter hit the distant target with a single shot.
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Noun 2
a military or police sniper or specially trained shooter assigned to take accurate long-range shots.
During the mission, a sharpshooter provided overwatch from the roof.
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Noun 3
figurative: someone who is especially precise or effective in a particular skill (e.g., an especially sharp negotiator or analyst).
She's a sharpshooter in negotiations, always finding the decisive point.
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Last updated: 2026/01/10 06:01