marksman
Americannoun
plural
marksmen-
a person who is skilled in shooting at a mark; a person who shoots well.
-
Military.
-
the lowest rating in rifle marksmanship, below that of sharpshooter and expert.
-
a person who has achieved such a rating.
-
noun
-
a person skilled in shooting
-
a serviceman selected for his skill in shooting, esp for a minor engagement
-
a qualification awarded in certain armed services for skill in shooting
Gender
See -man.
Other Word Forms
- marksmanship noun
- markswoman noun
Etymology
Origin of marksman
Explanation
A marksman is someone who is excellent at shooting a gun. A skilled marksman hits the bull’s eye every time. The word mark is from the Middle English word for “target,” so a marksman is a man (or woman) who has excellent aim and shoots a target. In many westerns, the hero is a marksman capable of hitting a small target that’s far away. In real life, police officers and members of the military are trained to be marksmen. Women can be marksmen, too, but if the name bugs you, call them sharpshooters.
Vocabulary lists containing marksman
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He is an expert marksman continuously trained in specialized breaching, perimeter control and hostage rescue skills, McLaughlin said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026
Mbappe scored from close range in the 83rd minute after Ekitike had been denied, taking him to 55 goals for his country and to within two of all-time top marksman Olivier Giroud's tally of 57.
From Barron's • Nov. 13, 2025
A marksman, she has been deployed to the mountains of eastern Afghanistan, the Baltic states and South Korea.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2025
Could even the greatest marksman in the world intentionally graze the ear of a man standing over one hundred yards away from the barrel of the gun?
From Salon • Jul. 21, 2024
I am no exquisite marksman, and almost dropped the piece when it fired.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
