caçador

Caçador is the Portuguese term for a person who hunts animals. The noun caçador denotes someone who engages in hunting, whether for subsistence, sport, or wildlife management. The feminine form is caçadora. The word can also be used metaphorically to describe someone who pursues a goal or object, as in caçador de tesouros (treasure hunter).

Etymology and form. The verb caçar, meaning to hunt, comes from Old French chasser, a term related to chasing. The noun caçador is an agent noun formed from caçar with the widely used suffix -dor, giving a designation for a person who performs the action of hunting.

Context and usage. In many Portuguese-speaking countries, caçadores may be individuals who hunt under legal authorization, or hobbyists and professionals such as gamekeepers or hunting guides. Hunting practices are governed by specific laws, including licensing, seasons, bag limits, and species protections. The term also appears in cultural and literary contexts to describe pursuit or search, and in tourism or sport hunting discussions focusing on wildlife management and conservation ethics.

Geography. Caçador is also the name of a municipality in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Located in the Southern Region of the country, the city is part of a region with forestry and agricultural activity, and it carries the historical and cultural associations of hunting in local tradition and economy.

See also. Caçadores (plural) can refer to units or groups named after hunting traditions in Portuguese-speaking military history, and to other uses of the term in place names or personal names.