vēnātor, ōris, m. [venor], a hunter.
I Lit.
A In gen.: quasi venator tu quidem es, dies atque noctes cum cane aetatem exigis, Plaut. Cas. 2, 5, 11; Cic. Tusc. 2, 17, 40; Caes. B. G. 6, 27; Hor. C. 1, 1, 26; 1, 37, 19; id. S. 1, 2, 105: COLLEGIVM VENATORVM, Inscr. Murat. 531, 2.—In apposit.: venator canis, a hunting-dog , hound , Verg. A. 12, 751: equus, a hunting-horse , hunter , Stat. Th. 9, 685; cf. venatrix.—
B In partic. (cf. venatio, I. B.), one who fights with wild beasts in the arena, Dig. 48, 19, 8, § 11; Tert. ad Mart. 5.—
II Trop.: venator adest nostris consiliis cum auritis plagis, Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 14: physicus, id est speculator venatorque naturae, Cic. N. D. 1, 30, 83.