trapper

American  

[trap-er] / ˈtræp ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that traps.

2. a person whose business is the trapping of animals for their furs.

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trapper British  

/ ˈtræpə /

noun

1. a person who traps animals, esp for their furs or skins

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Etymology

Origin of trapper

First recorded in 1615–25; trap ¹ + -er ¹

Explanation

A trapper is a person who hunts animals using snares or traps. When Europeans first colonized North America, trappers often traded animal furs and skins with Native people. When you imagine a trapper, you may think of Davy Crockett and his famous coonskin cap, made from the skin, fur, and entire tail of a trapped raccoon. Today's trappers may dress differently, but they still hunt or capture animals using a variety of traps. Some trappers work removing garden pests like squirrels and groundhogs, while others hunt for food or fur.

Example Sentences

Efforts by animal activists to get allegations concerning a longtime coyote trapper in Torrance before L.A.

From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2024

Officers would now have a criteria to ensure the angler, hunter or trapper is fulfilling their residency requirement, she said.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 25, 2024

“I’m not a trapper, nor a reggaetónero,” he reminds us all in Spanish.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 17, 2023

Mr. Fitzsimons, a recreational trapper, was also carrying a six-foot-long unstrung archery bow and a fur pelt draped across his neck.

From New York Times • Jul. 13, 2023

A trapper, the pitchman of a medicine show.

From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead