setter

[set-er]

noun

a person or thing that sets.

one of any of several breeds of hunting dogs that originally had the habit of crouching when game was scented but that are now trained to stand stiffly and point the muzzle toward the scented game.Compare English setter, Gordon setter, Irish setter.

Volleyball. a player who lofts the ball high for a teammate near the net to spike.

Origin of setter

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at set, -er¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for setter

Historical Examples of setter

Dogs are capering about, a collie, a setter, a Boston terrier.
The Conquest of Fear
Basil King
Dick and the setter managed the Indian trail for about twenty rods.
The Forest
Stewart Edward White
But he's as straight as a string, and he'll mind like a setter dog.
Shorty McCabe
Sewell Ford
Other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods.
Notes and Queries, Number 191, June 25, 1853
Various
Jim stopped inside the door, as immovable as a setter at the scent of quail.
Short Stories of Various Types
Various

British Dictionary definitions for setter

setter

noun

any of various breeds of large gun dog, having silky coats and plumed tailsSee English setter, Gordon setter, Irish setter

Word Origin for setter

C16: so called because they can be used to indicate where game is: see set 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for setter

"one who sets (something)," c.1400, agent noun from set (v.). As a type of hunting-dog (originally a type of spaniel), 1570s, so called because the dog is "set" on game.