setter
Americannoun
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a person or thing that sets.
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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.
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Volleyball. a player who lofts the ball high for a teammate near the net to spike.
noun
Etymology
Origin of setter
late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at set, -er 1
Explanation
A setter is a breed of dog that's sporty and good at hunting. Most setters are energetic, friendly dogs with long, silky hair. Setters have been around since the 1400s, bred to be experts at catching the scent of a pheasant or quail in the air. Well-trained Irish and English setters assist hunters by standing absolutely still when they smell game birds, originally crouching or setting to indicate where they were. Another kind of setter is someone who places, or sets, the letters and numbers in typeface, lining up the words in a newspaper headline before it's printed, for example.
Vocabulary lists containing setter
Vocabulary from Readings 3, Unit 1
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Vocabulary from Readings 1, Unit 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The U.K. rate setter estimates that the interest rate at which the BOE is neither stimulating nor restraining the economy is 3%.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
Bank of England rate setter Megan Greene said the BOE may raise its key interest rate if higher energy costs lead to increased wages and prices.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
“Chemistry,” setter Tommy Spalding said about the Sea Hawks’ triumph.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026
Mir became the pace setter after the 28-year-old clocked 1 min 56.874 sec on his Honda machine after 11 laps, to become the fastest rider over two days of testing in Malaysia.
From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026
It was a large gray-and-brown creature, bigger than a setter, with a huge slavering mouth.
From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
