gunner

[guhn-er]

noun

1. a person who operates a gun or cannon.

2. Army.,  an occupational title in the artillery.

3. Navy.,  a person skilled in handling ammunition and gunnery equipment.

4. Marine Corps.,  a warrant officer who may be given any one of a number of assignments.

5. British.

   1. Military.,  a private in the artillery.

   2. Informal.,  any officer or enlisted person assigned to the artillery.

6. a person who hunts with a gun.

gunner

/ ˈɡʌnə /

noun

1. a serviceman who works with, uses, or specializes in guns

2. navy (formerly) a warrant officer responsible for the training of gun crews, their performance in action, and accounting for ammunition

3. gnr. (in the British Army) an artilleryman, esp a private

4. a person who hunts with a rifle or shotgun

Other Word Forms

• gunnership noun
• undergunner noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of gunner¹

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; gun ¹, -er ¹

Example Sentences

The vessel could hold about 200 sailors, some 185 soldiers, from 20 to 30 gunners, and a large number of specialists such as archers, trumpeters, and various officers.

Read more on Literature

“We wanted to get something that represented our jobs, our service, fighting in Fallujah and Ramadi as machine gunners,” he said in a video posted on Instagram Wednesday, referring to his service in Iraq.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Dougie Shelley joined the Royal Navy at the age of 17, serving as a seaman gunner, and said earlier this year: "There is not many of us left."

Read more on BBC

Two flatbed trucks were driven out into a clearing – on the back of each a heavy machine gun and a gunner, scanning the skies.

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"The others had half wings – one was an observer and the other a rear gunner."

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Related Words

• shooter