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
Warriors Don't Cry
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
I also learned to be a good marksman.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025
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
The first was classic Salah, his mere presence seemingly scrambling the mind of Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy, whose injudicious dash from goal was enough for Liverpool’s marksman to swoop.
From BBC • Nov. 24, 2024
Grossman says that when he measured the heart rate of champion marksman Ron Avery, Avery’s pulse was at the top of that range when he was performing in the field.
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
