headhunting

UK: /ˈhɛdhʌntɪŋ/ US: /ˈhɛdˌhʌntɪŋ/ ,(hed′hun′ting)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

head•hunt•ing /ˈhɛdˌhʌntɪŋ/   n. [uncountable]

1. Anthropology (among certain tribal peoples) the practice of cutting off and preserving the heads of enemies as trophies.
2. Business the recruiting of executives for corporations.

head•hunt•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

head•hunt•ing  (hed′hun′ting), n. 

1. Anthropology (among certain primitive peoples) the practice of hunting down and decapitating victims and preserving their heads as trophies.
2. Business the act or practice of actively searching for new employees, esp. for professionals or executives:
   Every June the electronics manufacturers go headhunting among the newly graduated engineers.
3. Business the act or practice of firing without cause, esp. someone disliked:
   Their periodic headhunting was a contributing factor in the company's failures.
4. the act or practice of trying to destroy the power, position, or influence of one's competitors or foes:
   Headhunting is ferocious in advertising.

• head + hunting 1850–55

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

head•hunt  (hed′hunt′), n. 

1. a headhunting expedition:
   The men left the village to go on a headhunt.

v.i. 

2. to engage in headhunting.

• head + hunt

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

head-hunting noun

1. the practice among certain peoples of removing the heads of slain enemies and preserving them as trophies
2. the recruitment, esp through an agency, of executives from one company to another, often rival, company
3. the destruction or neutralization of political opponents

ˈhead-ˌhunter noun