sharpshooter

[ shahrp-shoo-ter ]

noun

1. a person skilled in shooting, especially with a rifle.
2. Military.
   1. a rating below expert and above marksman, assigned to one who has qualified with a specific score in rifle marksmanship.
   2. a person who has achieved such a rating.
3. an athlete noted for having accurate aim in a sport, as basketball, hockey, archery, golf, etc.
4. Slang. a person who engages in short-term business dealings with the purpose of making a large, quick profit without regard to scruple.
5. a spade that has a very narrow blade, used as a garden or nursery tool.

sharpshooter

/ ˈʃɑːpˌʃuːtə /

noun

1. an expert marksman, esp with a rifle

Derived Forms

• ˈsharpˌshooting, noun

Other Words From

• sharpshooting noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sharpshooter¹

1795–1805; sharp (i.e., sharp-eyed) + shooter; compare German Scharfschütz ( e ) expert marksman

Example Sentences

The top two sharpshooters in NBA history squared off Monday night — Clippers three-point king James Harden and Golden State long-distance wonder Stephen Curry bringing a high level of excitement to the Intuit Dome.

From Los Angeles Times

This knocked the gunman off his position temporarily, but, "after just a few seconds", he "popped back up" before he was fatally shot by a Secret Service sharpshooter.

From BBC

If a studio or producer were to offer you a cameo as a sharpshooter, maybe in a John Wick-style action flick, would you consider it?

From Los Angeles Times

While most Olympic sharpshooters use futuristic-looking goggles and ear coverings, one shooter didn’t need any gear to get the job done.

From Los Angeles Times

Typically quiet Santa Catalina Island, off the coast of Los Angeles, erupted in tumult last fall over a bold proposal to kill all the deer on the island using sharpshooters in helicopters.

From New York Times

Related Words

• marksman
• sniper